Within the framework of the policy of prevention and combat against fraud and smuggling, the Guatemalan Customs has participated, in an integral manner, in a regional emergency operation carried out successfully against illegal trade.
The Superintendency of Tax Administration revealed that from February 1 to 6, 2021, customs personnel, in coordination with the institutions that make up the Interinstitutional Commission Against Smuggling and Customs Fraud - COINCON -, participated together with other Central American countries in the "DEFCO Regional Operation."
The objective of the aforementioned Operation was to generate regional coordination mechanisms that would allow the identification and verification of risky operations and increase the efficiency of the Customs Services in preventing and combating customs fraud and smuggling, revealed the SAT.
Official information states that such actions were successfully carried out simultaneously on risky routes within border areas of Guatemala and in coordination with authorities from countries in the region such as Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Results
On the part of Guatemala, the operation has resulted in the seizure of contraband goods such as: cigarettes, groceries, medicines, baby products, footwear, candy, electronics, among others, with an approximate value of one million quetzales (Q1.000.000), equivalent to one hundred twenty-nine thousand United States dollars (US$129.000).
This action was a useful barometer demonstrating the effective efforts of Customs to eliminate corrupt practices such as customs fraud and smuggling.
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