Bolivia’s National Customs (AN) detected a new modus operandi in the transfer of contraband goods, including using bricks to hide 26 tons of alcoholic beverages and flour from Argentina without import documents.
The above was found through 5 operations carried out in the month of May. The confiscated products were worth more than US$30,000, which were seized at the Milares Customs Inspection Point (PIA) and alternate routes in the Chuquisaca Department, according to Sucre Internal Customs Manager, David Kondori.
1,650 packages of beer as well as 406 sacks of flour were transported in five vehicles, two of which were Volvo brand dump trucks and three Nissan Condor trucks.
Of the five cases, two were highlighted by AN. “The first operation took place on May 1, when the driver of a dump truck assured that he was only transporting construction bricks and he panicked while checking the cargo, so the customs personnel started removing each of the bricks. Found them under him. Sacks of flour. Upon being found out, the driver admitted that he had been hired to do illegal smuggling,” said Kondori.
In turn, on 3 May, an F16 truck tried to take an alternate route to the city of Sucre. In this case, the driver was accompanied by a pregnant woman as co-driver and when they saw the presence of customs personnel, they tried to flee; However, they are outrun and discovered with packages of beer concealed under bricks.
“The driver became aggressive and tried to call others to avoid the same seizure. Seeing this fact, the customs personnel immediately shifted the truck to Yamparez campus; however, minutes before it reached its destination , a second vehicle tried to block the passage without success due to the presence of military personnel appropriately,” said the customs official.
Currently, five vehicles and 26 tons of illegal goods are in the Sucre Internal Customs Administration for their evaluation and materialization.
