Customs Agency incinerates contraband worth US$22.2M

Santo Domingo.- The CustomsAgency (DGA) on Thursday said it has incinerated nearly RD$1.0 billion-worth (US$22.2million) of seized merchandise since anti-smuggling operations began in 2014,and include pricey liquors, cigarettes among other items.

Customs said themerchandise destroyed yesterday was worth RD$67.1 million, and forms part of the effort tocounter smuggling, counterfeiting and other illicit activities, which harms DominicanRepublic´s legal trade.

“Customs Agency officialsand executives of distributors representing the various brands of smuggledproducts headed yesterday´s operation,” Customs said in a statement, adding thatamong the merchandise figured 1,260 boxes of liquors (10,742 liters) and 3.6million packs of cigarettes smuggled into the country.