Seven months after the third complaint filed with the National Customs Authority (ANA) to investigate the alleged crime of tax and customs fraud in the importation of steel and derived products, the actions carried out by the entity in charge of Tayra are unknown. Barsallo.
The complaint for a possible injury to the State of 2.4 million dollars filed by Grupo Metales reaches seven trading companies: Grupo Moisés SA, Hong Xing SA, Grupo Industrias y Diseño SA, Decomentales, Grupo Hong, Vacamonte Construction Materials, and Fortuna Building. Metal.
According to this complaint, the values declared by the seven importers reported were below market prices, as can be seen on the ANA website.
Based on this information, it was detected that between January 2017 and December 2019, 1.7 million dollars have not been paid in taxes, while between April 2020 and September 2021 the State has stopped receiving 705,052 dollars, which makes a total of 2.4 million dollars.
The complaint filed by Grupo Metales in October 2021 was added to two previously filed in February and July 2020 where the ANA was requested to investigate the importation of nine tariff items, among which were galvanized steel coils, steel channels , expanded mesh and steel plates.
It also requested the authorities to take the necessary actions for the in-depth study of the complaint filed – with a copy to the General Directorate of Revenue, the Tax Administrative Court and the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information – and order, according to the findings , customs criminal proceedings, and the recovery, if any, of those sums of money that may exist in accordance with the applicable regulations.
In addition to the actions filed with the ANA, Grupo Metales filed the same complaint with the General Directorate of Revenue and, as with the ANA, it is unknown whether they have taken action in this regard.
Moisés Bartlett, legal representative and spokesman for the plaintiff company, insisted that the practice of the companies denounced could prove the presence of a crime against the State and by configuring a crime against the national economy, they cause damages to market actors and the economy in general, so Grupo Metales, like all the companies involved in these industrial and commercial activities, should be considered as victims.
Bartlett added that he is still waiting for the competent authorities to take the pertinent actions and once and for all the law is enforced and these bad practices are stopped.
