One arrested, 3 drivers taken back to Bolivia and four cars seized was the result of an operation carried out by the National Customs Service in the border town of Pisiga Choque (a few meters from the border with Bolivia). On that occasion, materially and ideologically false documents were found regarding free zone processes.
The inspection took place during the early hours of Saturday (12.08.2023) and allowed the interception of two Toyota vehicles, two Nissan vehicles and 25 bags of shoes of different brands and models. In addition, a series of documents were collected that supposedly supported the commercialization of the vehicles, but which were in fact forged documents from the free zone.
El Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, explained that the operation allowed the seizure of materially and ideologically false documentation, where there was manipulation of numbers and even the falsification of Customs Service stamps. “Due to this, the Pozo Almonte prosecutor's office was immediately informed and the arrest of one of the owners of the cars was ordered, given that in addition to smuggling, other crimes were committed, such as the falsification of private and public commercial instruments,” he added.
The seized cars and merchandise were valued at USD 25 and were placed in Customs custody. As for the drivers, three were Bolivian nationals and had entered the country illegally, so they were handed over to the PDI for immigration control.
The detention control of foreigners with falsified Free Trade Zone documentation will be in charge of prosecutor Daniela Campusano
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