Guatemala City by Brenda Larios -AGN.- The Interagency Commission Against Contraband and Customs Fraud -Coincon- reported the seizure of merchandise valued at USD 7.7 million in 2022.
Authorities from the Superintendency of Tax Administration -SAT- informed that these results are part of the country’s 727 actions carried out last year in different strategic points of the national territory.
Seizures
According to the Coincon report, the textiles, clothing, and footwear sector had the highest amount of seized contraband merchandise, with 50.28%. This percentage is equivalent to items valued at USD 387.5 million.
This sector was followed by:
- Commerce, with 23.82%, equivalent to USD 183.5 million
- Cigarettes, with 11.03%, equivalent to USD 85 million
- Hygiene, cleaning, and cosmetic products, with 3.82%, equivalent to USD 29.4 million
- Processed foods, with 3.45%, equivalent to USD 26.6 million
The goods included livestock, dairy, beverages, basic grains, medicines, agricultural products, chemicals and plastics, metalworking, coffee, poultry, fish, and construction materials.
Seizures by Region
The seized merchandise by region shows that last year, the southern part had the highest number of confiscations , with the seizure of merchandise worth USD 3.185 million.
In that region, parts and vehicle spare parts, toys, lamps, kitchenware, and clothing were seized.
Additionally, the northeast region reported the seizure of USD 1.9 million in footwear, cigarettes, clothing, sporting goods, electric distribution cabinets, and corn.
Meanwhile, the western region’s goods were seized, amounting to USD 1.5 million. The items found were clothing, powdered milk, shampoo, liquor, and fireworks.
Finally, the central region reported USD 1 million, seizing of jewelry, clothing, textiles, corn, and cigarettes.
Destruction of Merchandise
Last year, 426 destruction processes were carried out in the territory:
- 267 processes in the Western region
- 68 in the Central Region
- 55 in the Northeast
- 36 in the South.
