Two containers with merchandise belonging to small merchants and entrepreneurs were retained in Customs El Guamache, Municipality Tubores (Punta de Piedras), Nueva Esparta state.
The report was made by 150 entrepreneurs, who revealed that the two containers were sent to Caracas without allegedly representatives of the Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (Seniat) have allowed them to nationalize the merchandise.
Those affected expressed concern because their stores remain closed in the absence of that merchandise that they bought abroad to support the ventures consisting of clothes sales, cleaning and food items, among others. They recalled that the law of the free port of the Nueva Esparta state that establishes certain flexibilities for the importation of merchandise is still in force.
It all started 10 days ago with the inspection made by Seniat staff to a ship that brought 81 containers, many of them bringing high -end vehicles. During the inspection they located two containers with products belonging to the 150 neo -Spartan entrepreneurs. Precisely those two containers were those transferred to Caracas, causing losses to the small merchants, according to their stories. They indicated that this procedure was carried out without knowing any act of the same and without notification to the owners of the goods.
They also revealed that after that retention, a similar procedure occurred with another ship that arrived at Customs El Guamache and which transported 91 Container, of which only seven have given green light for exit. These containers bring producers of direct importers who acquired electronic products, furniture and 18 with foods for the supply of stores and supermarkets that prepare to address the tourist influx in the holiday season soon to start.
Recently, the New Esparta Chamber of Commerce issued a document where they warn that “the application of these recent customs measures that, de facto, contravene the spirit and operation of the free port regime established for our entity, has generated uncertainty between importers and commercial operators, affecting the arrival and import of goods that are fundamental to guarantee the supply, price stability of insular economic activity ”.
The New Sparta Chamber of Commerce warned that obstacles are being placed for food importation. “For the small importers of the free port it is almost impossible to process and obtain health permits for food, cosmetics and personal hygiene products that are imported,” they say in a statement.
