For the crime of smuggling, after declaring merchandise for a value lower than what it was actually carrying, the National Customs Service filed a complaint against Pilar Matte Capdevila, daughter of the businessman and former president of Empresas CMPC and the Center for Public Studies (CEP). ); Eliodoro Matte Larrain.
Customs filed a complaint against Matte Capdevila and asks for 5 years in prison, in addition to a fine of $148 million, according to a report by Chilevision.
According to the complaint, which was already received by the First Guarantee Court of Santiago, Matte Capdevila stated that the products he brought from the United States: pajamas, a set of glasses, book shelves and three gold rings purchased on Amazon ; they had an appraisal of US$526 ($490,537). However, after the corresponding control, the Customs officials realized that there were “merchandise of a different nature than those declared.”
The legal action indicates that the products not declared by Pilar Matte were a yellow gold bracelet with diamonds, with an estimated value of US$26,600; a white gold ring with sapphires, valued at US$4,370; and a yellow gold ring with white diamonds worth $8,700.
“The customs value of the corresponding merchandise (…), amounts to the sum of $29,726,529 equivalent to US$40,697,” says the document presented before the courts of justice by the customs public service.
It is worth mentioning that among Pilar Matte’s luggage there was even a dedication letter from the luxury jewelry designer Suzanne Kalan. And in addition, five sets of glasses by designer Mario Luca Goust were found, valued at about $700,000 and not just one, as the businessman’s daughter declared.
Customs describes in its complaint against Pilar Matte that “the merchandise was not declared, the merchandise being admitted to our country irregularly, not paying the respective taxes, in particular the special or additional tax.”
The lawyer Rodrigo González Holmes, who represents Pilar Matte Capdevilla, assured the television medium that the reported situation was “an error without bad faith.” The jurist confirmed that legal alternatives are being studied to correct the situation of her client and that he hopes to achieve an alternative solution. Along with this, González stressed that part of the situation has been corrected by paying taxes for smaller products, but given the legislation it is not possible to avoid legal action by the customs agency.
“This is a private purchase, non-commercial for some items, some like costume jewelry and others and a couple of jewelry items,” said Pilar Matte’s lawyer.
