A truck with 69.740 packets of contraband cigarettes intercepted by inspectors of the National Customs Service of Chile at the Quillagua outpost, 226 kilometers south of Iquique. It is the fourth procedure of similar characteristics since the beginning of the health emergency due to Covid-19 and demonstrates the institutional commitment and that of its officials to prevent the transit of all types of illicit goods.
The Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, said that in this case it was a truck that supposedly transported 7 thousand kilos of tomatoes and boxes of ginger from Arica to the Lo Valledor Fair in Santiago. However, at the time of the inspection, some irregularities were detected and a complete inspection was carried out, finding that behind and under the tomatoes there was a large quantity of contraband cigarettes.
Hidden boxes of food and cigarettes. Photo: Chilean Customs
The cigarettes were inside fruit boxes and wrapped in newspaper. A total of 69.740 packs were found, divided into 2.788 cartons of the Blue brand, 2.409 cartons of the Fox brand, 1.190 cartons of the Carnival brand, 494 cartons of the LS brand, 50 cartons of the Pine brand and 43 cartons of the Gift brand.
Molina Silva indicated that the cigarettes are from foreign origin y It was not possible to prove its legal importation into the country, added to the fact that they were hidden and undeclared, “Therefore, the driver was charged with smuggling and it was established that the goods tried to evade taxes for $198.024.246”.
The Regional Director indicated that with this case, there are now four trucks seized in similar procedures in Quillagua with a total accumulated to date of 858.680 contraband packets that were trying to evade more than 2 billion in taxes.
"We are in the midst of a pandemic and this represents a challenge to maintain operational continuity and control and facilitation actions on cargo. In this regard, this type of intervention demonstrates the efficiency with which we are acting and, at the same time, shows that unfortunately Organized crime and smuggling do not stop and even takes food essential to try to hide illegal goods.”
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