The General Directorate of Customs (DGA) incinerated 32,588,522 units of cigarettes of various brands, which amount to approximately 162,616,724.78 pesos in tax evasion.
The contraband product was confiscated when trying to enter Dominican territory, for different customs administrationsreported the DGA in a press release.
Leading the act of cremation, the administrative and financial deputy director, Francis Almonte, representing the general director of CustomsEduardo Sanz Lovatón, was accompanied by the directors of Philip Morris Dominican and of Cilpen Global Business.
Almonte stressed that this action was carried out in compliance with the agreement of inter-institutional cooperation between the three entities, whose purpose is to combat the illicit trade activities of tobacco products.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting the hard work against this illegal practice that hurts businesses cigar manufacturers and, in addition, affect the image of the country.
During the incineration process, carried out at the Cilpen Global Business facilities, the seized cigarettes were in the custody of soldiers from the DGA and the private entities involved, also co-responsible for the security of the merchandise, reported Customs.
The detection of contraband was made possible by the work of the institutions signatories to the agreement: General Directorate of Customsthe General Staff Intelligence Directorate (G-2), Merchandise Traffic Division, National Police, National Army of the Dominican Republic and the Public Ministry.