Historic seizure. Chilean Customs made the largest seizure of 400 thousand counterfeit dollars from that country at the El Loa outpost, south of Iquique. The money was being transported by a tourist of Peruvian origin to bring his contraband to Buenos Aires.
Secure Border Plan
The operation "gains greater importance in the context of the Secure Border Plan promoted by President Sebastián Piñera. We congratulate the Customs officials for their expertise and effectiveness in achieving the largest seizure in the country and for the joint work carried out with the Public Prosecutor's Office and Carabineros," said the mayor of Tarapacá, Miguel Angel Quezada.
Non-invasive technology
The inspectors found certain irregularities with the use of X-rays. Thus, they opened the passenger's suitcases "finding 20 CD cases, modified to hide the paper money."
When the cases were dismantled, imitations of 100 dollar bills with different serial numbers were found inside, giving a total sum of 400 thousand counterfeit dollars.
This is the "largest seizure of counterfeit dollars in the country, surpassing the one also carried out by Customs in April 2018 for US$ 182.100 dollars in Chacalluta," confirmed the Deputy Director of Inspection of the National Customs Service, Javier Uribe Martínez.
These seizures demonstrate the high level of preparation of customs officers for their work in controlling and supervising the transit of currency.
The passenger carrying the counterfeit banknotes was handed over to the police via a chain of custody along with the banknotes.
The arrest was carried out at the Iquique Court of Guarantee and the prosecutor Francisco Almazán formalized the foreigner. The magistrate Verónica Opazo decreed preventive detention while the investigation lasts and a bond of $10 million pesos in case of requesting bail.
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.
