Dominican authorities destroy 28 million units of illicit goods worth RD$362 million
Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), together with the Specialized Corps for the Control of Fuels and Trade of Goods (Ceccom), destroyed 28,352,755 units of illicit merchandise valued at RD$362.8 million as part of efforts to combat smuggling, tax evasion and unfair competition.
The operation was carried out at the facilities of Recicla and involved the Illicit Activities Task Force, which brings together ProConsumidor, Digemaps, the Attorney General’s Office, the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), the Directorate General of Internal Revenue (DGII), the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), the National Police and military units.
The destroyed products had been removed from the commercial market for violations including smuggling, tax evasion, counterfeiting, adulteration and lack of sanitary registration.
More than 63 million units seized in 2026
According to MICM, between January and September 2026, authorities seized a total of 63,864,856 units of irregular merchandise, with an estimated value of RD$1.03 billion.
Of that amount, 52,862,414 units valued at RD$905.9 million were directly seized, while another 11,003,442 items worth RD$124.2 million remain under Ceccom’s judicial custody pending court decisions.
Authorities also reported 275,302 gallons of fuel seized during inspections of the hydrocarbon distribution chain. The fuel, including diesel, LPG, gasoline and kerosene, had an estimated market value of RD$68.6 million.
MICM said the results came from 8,006 nationwide control operations, including inspections of transportation and distribution activities, which also led to the seizure of 77 vehicles.
Cigarettes account for significant potential tax losses
The latest destruction included 24,382,117 cigarettes, highlighting the potential fiscal impact of illicit trade in highly taxed products.
According to an analysis cited by MICM, if the seized merchandise had entered the informal market, the Dominican government could have lost approximately RD$185.3 million in internal taxes, including the Selective Consumption Tax (ISC) and ITBIS.
When import duties are included, the estimated potential tax loss rises to RD$233.4 million.
MICM said the seizures and subsequent destruction form part of a broader strategy to protect tax revenues, promote fair competition and ensure that businesses operating in the Dominican Republic comply with current regulations.
