The Government of Guatemala reported on Friday (14.04.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX) an important result in the fight against illicit trade, thanks to the inter-institutional commitment and public-private cooperation, led by the Inter-institutional Council for the Prevention and Combat of Tax Fraud and Customs Smuggling (COINCON).
According to the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT-G), Guatemala managed to reduce customs smuggling by 40% in 2022. To this end, 727 inter-institutional actions were carried out: 3 binational operations (Guatemala and El Salvador), 546 on the road, 137 operations and interventions in customs, 1 regional operation and 40 raids.
It was indicated that the value of the confiscated goods corresponds to Q60,209,437.28, while the measures and adjustments, Q350,691,346.76 million and the 34 complaints for customs fraud, Q235,800.00.
Likewise, the SAT highlighted the results of the Seven Interinstitutional Control Posts (PCI) assets, and announced the implementation of new PCI in the municipalities of Escuintla (Escuintla), Chisec (Alta Verapaz) and Jerez (Jutiapa).
To give perspective on such actions against illicit trade, the SAT Superintendent and President of COINCON, Marco Livio Díaz Reyes, stated that this reduction in customs smuggling "has been reflected in the collection of foreign trade taxes in customs, which has increased by up to 55%."
In that line, the Customs Superintendent and Secretary of COINCON, Werner Ovalle, presented the results of the actions carried out during the first quarter of 2023, namely: 587 inter-institutional actions, 44 complaints, 20 raids, 2 binational operations, 24 operations and interventions in customs and more than 540 operations on the road.
The official added other positive effects of the actions implemented, for example: increased voluntary compliance by taxpayers, growth in the perception of risk in the commission of illegal acts, greater inter-institutional control on the country's main routes, protection of health and food safety of consumers and control of irregular migration, among others.
It is worth mentioning that, in order to address the problems of illicit trade, in 2017, the SAT created the Department against Customs Fraud and Smuggling, within the Customs Office. This department follows up on the strategies and actions that arise from COINCON so that the SAT can prevent and combat these crimes.
Thus, COINCON is permanently integrated by SAT, the Ministries of the Interior, National Defense, Public Finance, Economy, Public Health and Social Assistance, Agriculture, Livestock and Food, the Attorney General's Office and the Public Prosecutor's Office; and representing the Private Sector, as special guests, CACIF, the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry, the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce and AMCHAM.
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