The General Directorate of Customs -AFIP discovered a series of operations fuel smuggling which culminated in the seizure of 12 vehicles at the border crossing of the bridge that connects Posadas. (Argentina) and Encarnacion (Paraguay).
The merchandise was found through an analysis which revealed that certain vehicles with foreign license plates were crossing the border between Argentina and Paraguay with unusual frequency: up to six times per day, the institution said in a statement.
Following this identification, when the cars in question were presented again at the border crossing, customs inspectors subjected them to exhaustive checks.
It was discovered that the cars had modified fuel tanks, with extraction systems that were not the original ones from the factory, which is why it is presumed that the intention behind the excessive frequency of the crossings was fuel smuggling.
Considering that, in addition, they intended to leave or enter the country through the lanes assigned to tourism, Customs seized the vehicles involved for violating the baggage regime, since, in fact, fuel is not a merchandise admitted through this route.
The value of the merchandise seized in the procedure amounts to $25 million.
Iguazu-Foz de Iguazu
On the other hand, at the Iguazú (Argentina) – Foz de Iguazú (Brazil) International Border Crossing, customs personnel assigned to exit control found that a Paraguayan van was carrying hidden 25 soda bottles with 50 liters of super gasoline and 3 canisters with 90 liters of diesel.
The various containers were hidden either under or on the seats, covered with a blanket.
Shortly after, routine checks carried out on a second vehicle – also with Paraguayan registration – discovered 15 soda bottles with 29 liters of super gasoline hidden among the car's sound system accessories.
Customs clarified that, in these procedures, unlike what happened in Posadas, the fuel bottles were seized and not the vehicles, which is why the seized merchandise is valued at $ 52.194.
He also stressed that, beyond the violations of the baggage regime, both operations disrupted maneuvers that were extremely dangerous due to the risk of explosions.
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