Chilean authorities called on the community to buy only from established stores during the launch of the campaign “Play it safe, trade responsibly” in Iquique, northern Chile, in an initiative that seeks to alert the community about the risks of purchasing counterfeit or smuggled goods.
The information was provided by the regional secretary of the Treasury of the Tarapacá Region, Claudio Chamorro Olguín; together with the regional secretary of Health, Manuel Fernández Ibacache; the Regional Director of Customs, Cristian Molina Silva; and the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Iquique, Rafael Montes González.
Authorities explained that by buying in informal commerce, people not only risk being deceived and penalized, but they also put their health at risk because the origin and certification of the products are unknown..
Seremi Claudio Chamorro He said that the campaign is promoted by the Ministry of Finance and seeks to encourage the community to buy only from established businesses, "not only for the economic effect, but also for the protection of our population."
Similar concepts were delivered by the Seremi of Health, Manuel Fernandez, who stressed the care that must be taken when purchasing toys, given that they have parts and pieces that can endanger children. “That is why it is important that they are purchased in formal places that meet the standards regarding the quality of the components and required information.”
The Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian MolinaHe added that as a supervisory service they have the mission of being the first line of protection for the community. "We have increased the number of procedures and seizures, both of goods that lack sanitary approval and of items that infringe the intellectual property law. The same thing happens in the area of confiscation of smuggled cigarettes.”
The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Rafael Montes, also joined the campaign and recalled that they also promote the initiative called “Let’s play fair” and which seeks to encourage fair trade and demonstrate the damage that smuggling causes to the economy. In this context, he highlighted the creation of the Illicit Trade Observatory and the series of studies that demonstrate the harmful effects of illegal trade.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
