Amazon water

So along the fluvial runways of the Amazon River, more contraband takes place. At one point a journalist in Macapá, in the mouth of the Amazon River, was telling me even indian blood was being exported for its uber human qualities, but I'm not sure what to make of that. He then suspciously added that there are more NGO's than there are indians - proof of imperialistic tactics to steal resources clandestinely!

Something in line of a Florida businees man who wants to sell boutique water from the Amazon, in the same vain as Fiji Water, you know, the one with the pretty picture. Part again of our sinful and ecologically unsound indulgence to cleanse ourselves so as to balance our bad chi for all the alcohol and drugs we consume, while 1.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water.

(The picture you see is of a recent accident. Where 15 people died and dozens are still missing. A ferry boat that capsized in a predawn rainstorm.)

Following on the Hydripirates tip - those who supposedly travel great lengths to steal water for countries with their own very little fresh water supply - I have resumed my investigations.

Following a conversation with a economy-based newspaper journalist in Manaus:

Foreign transatlantic cargo ships are boarding at the port of Manaus without declaring the real reason behind their stay. One case is of the Yashuar Cruiser, of Omani origin. It first ported in Belem on the Atlantic and then headed to the Amazon capital of Manaus. It arrived with only eight containers, and then stayed over a week at port without ever seeming to load any cargo. The local journalist took an interest and so queried the port officials about the purpose of the Yashaur. They answered, unwittingly, that it was filling itself with the surrounding water. Five of the seven compartments were being filled, the equivalent of 22,000 cubic metres. The journalist then alerted the police, to which they said there was no article from where they could hold the crew of the Yashuar.

Interestingly the ship’s destination was Bremen in Germany, then to the Middle East and then back again to Manaus. It is expected to arrive in Manaus in July.

15 to 20 cargo ships arrive to Manaus every month.

Word from Leticia, Colombia:

After a lenghty conversation with Teniente Benavides from the port of Leticia, as well as a chat with port security, we can deduce, so far, that water is not being stolen from in and around Leticia, on the tri-border of Peru-Colombia-Brazil. The reason being the only large cargo ship entering these waters, called the Yacupuma, is well monitored and known to bring goods from the United States. They were very alerted by the possibility of water being stolen but so far have no proof of such contraband. All other large ships are passenger-carrying cruisers.

The original rumour was that this was happening in Leticia.