The Public Ministry and the National Integrated Service of Customs and Tax Administration (Seniat) opened an investigation regarding several commercial companies in the Zulia state for alleged irregularities in the import and commercialization of electronic equipment, appliances and white line, judicial sources said.
According to the investigation, companies would be importing merchandise through the “Door to Door” service, a mechanism designed exclusively for personal shipments, but that would be used for commercial purposes to avoid the payment of tariffs and evade taxes, including the tax At added value (VAT), a source explained.
The investigation is carried out by the National Prosecutor’s Office 77 with competence against the legitimation of capital, financial and economic crimes and was marked with the number MP-182355-2024.
Among companies under investigation are:
• Javi Store Group, made up of several companies, including investments Los Próceres 2017, CA
• Maye import ca
• Bracho Import 21 CA
Preliminary investigations indicate that these companies have allegedly using the “door to door” system to enter large volumes of electronic equipment, appliances and white line (refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, kitchens, among others) without paying tariffs or complying with the fiscal and customs requirements.
Until now, the Public Ministry has detected:
• Improper use of the “Puerta Al Puerta” system for commercial purposes, avoiding the payment of taxes.
• Evasion of VAT in sales, which generates serious damage to tax collection.
• Delivery delivery instead of fiscal invoices, which leaves buyers without legal support or possibility of claims.
• Alleged falsification or alteration of documents to justify the entry of the merchandise.
• Desleal competition with companies that do comply with their tax and customs obligations.
An expert in tax law explained that those responsible for such illicit are exposed to:
• Millionaire fines and administrative sanctions for fiscal evasion and customs fraud.
• Immediate closure of commercial establishments that fail to comply with the regulations.
• Criminal investigations against the legal representatives of the companies involved, with possible positions for: tax fraud, customs fraud, aggravated smuggling, immediate confiscation of all the merchandise imported irregularly.
The motivation to initiate investigation is to combat illicit trade and tax evasion, ensuring compliance with the law and protecting consumers, a judicial source explained.
From the Seniat they urge consumers and merchants to demand fiscal invoices in each purchase and verify that the businesses comply with the regulations.
They also urged to denounce any company that refuses to issue legal invoices or use irregular mechanisms for the importation of merchandise. Also avoid the purchase of products without legal support, since they could be subject to confiscation and be investigated as part of a network of smuggling and tax evasion.
