Source: Extra (RJ), 20/06/2009

CURITIBA - In the first five months of 2009, the Federal Revenue of Londrina, in western Paraná, seized R $ 4,996 million in smuggled goods, pirates and vehicles used to transport these products. This amount is almost equal to the total seized during the past year, which totaled R $ 5,777 million. For the chief of the Revenue, Sérgio Gomes Nunes, 2009 may exceed the total registered in 2007, a record year in apprehensions. That year, the Revenue seized R $ 13,840 million in goods and vehicles.

Compared to the period from January to May last year, seizures of goods grew 97%. In 2009, only in contraband and pirated products, the Revenue seized R $ 3,824 million. In 2008, the amount was R $ 1,935 million. The main products seized are blank CDs and DVDs, with more than 1,350 million units, and cigarettes, with 810 thousand packs.

Regarding the values ​​of the goods, the biggest apprehensions are of electronic products, which totaled more than R $ 1,220 million, and of information technology, with more than R $ 357 thousand. The operations also resulted in the seizure of 26 vehicles, including 13 cars, two SUVs, a truck, a trailer and nine buses. 56 people were arrested for smuggling and embezzlement.

According to Nunes, the 2009 figures reflect a change in the way of combating smuggling. This is because, the IRS started to carry out joint operations with the Federal Police (PF), State Highway Police (PRE) and Federal (PRF) and Civil Police, in addition to investing in the intelligence sector. This year, 26 operations were carried out.

- We do not restrict our work only to inspections. We are daily collecting information about the profile of current smugglers, as a new method of inspection is always required. The increase in repression generates an immediate change in the behavior of smugglers - he comments.

The Federal Revenue Chief mentions, as an example of this change in behavior, the decrease in apprehensions in 2008 compared to the previous year. Nunes explains that in 2007, contraband was carried out mainly through large bus trains. That year, the IRS seized 36 buses, compared to just five in 2008.

- This scenario indicated that smugglers started to use cars to transport goods. As a result, they diluted smuggling and seizures became more difficult. For this reason, we invest in monitoring and studying the behavior adopted by people who work in this segment - he explains.

For the deputy of the PF of Londrina, Evaristo Kuceki, this joint work shows that the union of forces resulted in a positive balance and indicates that the repression is on the right path.

Located midway between the cities of Guaíra and Foz do Iguaçu, the main inputs for products coming from Paraguay, and the border of the state of São Paulo, the highways in the Londrina region have become a route for smugglers. For the commander of the 2nd Company of the State Highway Police (PRE), Lieutenant Luiz Carlos Lemos Junior, who oversees PRs in Northern Paraná, the high value of the seizures reflects this geographic issue.

- Paraguay is a large market for smuggled products. As we are close to the border with São Paulo, several routes end up passing through Londrina. We are halfway there, in addition to being the shortest route between the source and the final destination of the goods - he says.

According to Lemos, inspections against contraband on state highways are constant. And for that purpose, PRE has police officers specialized in identifying the vehicles used by smugglers.

- We have police officers from the Mobile Tactical Ostensive Round (Rotam) who have over 15 years of experience in combating smuggling. Thus, we are able to identify suspicious vehicles and in the approach we find fake funds or goods hidden inside parts of the vehicle. It is a constant struggle - he comments.

For the PRE commander, in this “fight” the support of the population is important, who can report any type of suspicious activity.

- The information service is essential. For this reason, it is important for the population to report on the 198, PRE, and 181, Military Police phones. You do not need to identify yourself and contributed to our work - he says.