Customs management at the Colchane border complex (north) has recorded more than US$ 2 million in 35 procedures for smuggling out of the country this year. The figure exceeded the 31 cases of 2018 without considering the illegal activities detected during the inspection of entry into the country.
The information was provided by the Regional Director of the Iquique Customs Office, Cristian Molina Silva, during various meetings held in recent days regarding the situation that leaders of Customs officials have publicly raised regarding security.
Last week, Molina met with the head of the First Tarapacá Zone, General Rodrigo Vicencio, and this Tuesday with the governors of Iquique and El Tamarugal, as well as with the regional leaders of Anfach.
In this regard, he indicated that during this year, 6 loaded trucks and 16 vehicles that were trying to leave the country illegally have already been seized, "to which 21 procedures are added with the detection of 779 kilos of drugs and 11.754 doses of Ecstasy that were attempting to enter the country using different concealment methods. We also recorded a 36% increase in cargo flow, 19,9% in vehicle traffic and 5,2% in passenger traffic compared to 2018. That is to say, we are complying with the guidelines regarding ensuring the protection of our citizens, facilitating legal foreign trade, and the figures demonstrate a successful work.”
Regarding the requirements to increase security for the officials stationed there, Molina said that the respective coordination was carried out and that customs work will be maintained and intensified to ensure adequate attention and compliance with institutional missions and roles.
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