Customs: Santiago rulings bad signal

[vbadmin]

The Customs Department complained that the Santiago District judge has heard cases that are sending bad signals about the correct application of the law and the struggle against customs violations. El Caribe reports that these cases include that of the company Provisiones Marte & Reyes CXA, from which the Customs Department seized 5,807 boxes of whisky, wine and different types of liquor and 400 loose bottles, merchandise that was found in a sealed underground cistern. The company was unable to prove that the merchandise had been legally imported, and was indicted. The Civil and Commercial Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Santiago ordered the confiscated merchandise returned on grounds that it was being held by the Customs Department and not the Justice Department which was allegedly a violation of due process.

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