Customs director Fernando Fernandez has empowered the Attorney General, the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) chief and the Tax Office (DGII) director with a request for an investigation into suspected money laundering regarding 2,308 checks retained over the last three weeks from companies that operate under the umbrella of “Express Mail”. Meanwhile, at 9am today, Friday 15 August 2014, the Second Chamber of the Superior Administrative Tribunal will continue the process that seeks to declare the resolution ordering the collection of taxes on merchandise valued at less than US$200 purchased over the Internet as a fundamental rights violation.
During a press conference yesterday, Thursday 14 August 2014, attended by Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito, DGII director Guarocuya Felix, and DNCD chief Julio Cesar Souffront, Fernandez said that the seizures were part of the process of strengthening the controls that Customs is implementing in the fight against illicit actions related to cross-border trade. He added that the retention of these checks was linked to the particular case of the sector of the companies called “express mail,” operating under the cover of decree 402-05, which regulates this type of transport. Only 389 of these checks specify the sum in dollars, and the total amount comes to US$5,638,792.96. He said that 1,845 checks were made out in Dominican pesos for a total of RD$18,314,432.32. “The other 74 checks in dollar accounts are signed but were left blank. We have also retained a financial certificate issued for the sum of RD$11,400,000.” He said that converted into pesos the DGA has found undeclared assets for a total sum of RD$275,266,949.35.