The Customs Agency in the Dominican Republic announced the seizing and destruction of 120 chassis and motorcycle parts for two-wheeled motorcycles and four-wheeled motorcycles that arrived inside “courier shippers” (mudanceras) consignments. Customs Agency director, Enrique Ramirez attended the destruction of the parts for assembly during an event held at the installations of the metalworks company, Gerdau Metaldom on Km. 22 of Duarte Highway.
“The creativity of some people to avoid paying taxes and the disregard of public safety by trafficking in illicit goods is truly unbelievable,” said Ramirez. He added: “If this creativity were used to produce quality goods and services in a law-abiding manner, the country would be even better off.”
He criticized the dishonest use of the shipping couriers by Dominicans living abroad.
He explained the smugglers send motorcycles in parts, mixed with the clothes and food that Dominicans ship to their relatives inside 55-gallon tanks. The motorcycles are then assembled here and registration is fraudulently obtained.
The parts destroyed at the Gerdau Metaldom plant had arrived by way of Cibao International Airport in Santiago, and the ports of Haina Oriental (Santo Domingo province), Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo.
The Customs Agency is monitoring courier shipments that are also used by Mafiosi networks for the smuggling of firearms and narcotics.
Meanwhile, in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, USA, dozens of companies that transport the maritime and air cargo in the 55-gallon modality and freight containers from those states to the Dominican Republic announced they have formed a federation to jointly defend their interests before the Customs Agency. The new entity is to be known as the Federación Dominicana de Asociaciones de CArgas Marítima y Aérea (Fedacama). They criticized they are being subject to abuses by the Dominican customs authorities.
Read more in Spanish:
Aduanas
El Nacional
El Nuevo Diario
4 October 2018
