Chilean customs authorities reported today (23.08.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX) their first seizure of a Tesla Model Y electric vehicle at the Quillagua outpost (Antofagasta Region).
According to the Customs in a statement, The car was intended to be imported as new from the Iquique Free Trade Zone to the Las Condes commune. However, the vehicle had travelled 1.541 kilometres and had been auctioned off due to an accident.
El Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, explained that thanks to the different filters and a priori reviews, the Risk Analysis Unit raises alerts on different types of merchandise. “In this case, our analysts identified a high-end car that entered the Free Trade Zone after being acquired through the auction system. Although it is a vehicle from 2023, it does not meet the conditions again due to its mileage and an evident crash in its rear end,” he added.
Molina Silva indicated that the vehicle has a customs value of US$38.500 and was seized for the crime of smuggling, given that it was imported as new and was used. “This modus operandi or type of smuggling is not new and occurs mainly with trucks and high-end sports cars, however, it is the first time we have seen it with an electric car such as the Tesla brand,” he concluded.
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