Luis Carlos Reyes, director of Dian, has announced the implementation of a new customs statute aimed at strengthening the fight against smuggling in Colombia.
This measure, which is pending signature by the ministers of Finance, Commerce and President Gustavo Petro, seeks to address the deficiencies of the current regulations, which, according to Reyes, appear to have been drafted for the benefit of smugglers.
Among the key provisions of the new customs statute is the obligation to declare a detailed inventory of goods, as well as the increase in advance declarations by the importer.
In addition, the use of traceability devices will be required for trucks circulating in the country, in order to facilitate the monitoring and control of merchandise.
Reyes’ announcement was made during a press conference in which a new study on the role of smuggling in the country and other initiatives to combat it was also presented.
You can read: Liquid tea and flavored milk, the most affected by taxes on ultra-processed foods
According to Dian data, between 2018 and 2022, smuggling represented 10% of the value of merchandise that entered the country, exceeding US$8.8 billion in 2022.
The study reveals that the main type of smuggling is the so-called “technical smuggling due to underinvoicing”, which represents an annual average of US$6,234 million between 2018 and 2022, with a 90% share of the total estimated smuggling.
According to Dian, this modality takes advantage of the flexibilities of the current customs statute and the limitations of personnel for customs inspection.
With the implementation of the new customs statute, it is expected to significantly reduce the incidence of smuggling in the country and protect the national economy from fraudulent practices that seriously affect legal trade and tax collection.
You may be interested in: Challenges persist in reducing the housing deficit in Colombia