The Minister of Economy remarked that the portfolio is working on the seizure of drugs through Customs.
The minister of Economy and Finance (MEF), lily arbelecheassured in the opening ceremony of the VIII Regional Meeting of the Global Container Program for Latin America and the Caribbeanorganized by the United Nationswhich the national government maintains “a frontal combat” with drug trafficking. The head of the MEF assured that her portfolio is working through the National Customs Directorate (Customs) together with Ministry of Defencehe Ministry of Interiorand the National Drug Board in the seizure of illegal substances transiting national ports.
In his speech, Arbeleche maintained that “adequate risk management in cross-border movements of goods is essential for safe trade between our countries.” The event was attended by the ambassador of USA in Uruguay, Heide B. Fultonand his pair of Canada, Isabelle Valoisto whom Arbeleche thanked for the support of their countries to Uruguay to integrate the list of countries that actively have offices of the Global Container Program.
The head of the MEF described drug trafficking as “one of the main public safety problems”where controls at ports and border crossings are “essential”, and “it is a priority to have non-intrusive instruments” to improve the efficiency in the verification of the goods that enter and leave the national territory. Regarding this, he highlighted that the government will have three state-of-the-art scanners.
In turn, the minister highlighted the seizure of more than 5,000 kilos of drugs, and the port control unit that was established through Customs. In addition, he highlighted a “record” of investigated and prosecutedsomething that shows “the progress in the matter”, and yields “results” that made it possible for the United Nations to “select Uruguay” as the headquarters of the Global Container Control Program.
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Photo: Customs
Customs scans 6% of cargoes, according to its director
The National Director of Customs, Jaime Borgianistated that the country is currently scanning the 6% of the loads, although with the measures to be implemented, 70% could be covered. However, Borgiani did not consider it necessary, and estimated that in the near future the average number of controlled merchandise would be between 25% to 30%since the review must be “smart and fast”.
Bogiani, assured that “drug trafficking is one of the evils that afflict all countries”, but the United Nations indicated Uruguay as “one of the next developed countries”as long as it “fixes” this problem.
The hierarch commented that despite the current scanning difficulties, “through ingenuity” and “international contacts”, transit containers with drugs have been seized from Paraguayanas well as loads of amphetamines that left from Europe to that country.
Source: Ambito
