Customs chief slams couriers in alleged warehouse heist

Santo Domingo.- Customs director Fernando Fernandez on Monday slammed the Couriers Association for blaming his agency for the alleged thefts in warehouses at Las Americas International Airport last week.

The official said despite the couriers’ denounced thefts reportedly worth millions, Customs has yet to receive any formal complaint, and said he suspects that those companies try to conceal serious faults.

"Customs does want them to act responsibly and what kind of merchandise was lost, what’s the value of that item, because what for them is a theft for Customs is smuggling. If there’s theft of merchandise, such goods didn’t pay the taxes and therefore it’s contraband," he said.

Fernandez said the merchandise wasn’t robbed and in fact didn’t pay taxes, for which is subject to fines. "Customs will not lose and neither will the State, nor the customer, so then, whom were the goods stolen from?"