Objective of revenue efforts to destroy smuggling is to educate citizens, says undersecretary
Source: Agência Brasil, 02/06/2009
Brasília - The 4th National Commodity Destruction Task Force that will be held throughout the week by the Federal Revenue Service has several purposes, but the main one is to educate the citizen, according to the undersecretary of Service and Fiscal Education, Odilon Neves Junior.
He explained that the intention is to show products that are the result of smuggling and embezzlement (action to legally bring the product, but try to deceive the tax authorities to obtain advantages), especially those that present a risk to public health and the environment, disrespect patent and intellectual property laws.
This type of operation began to be carried out in 2007. On December 2 of this year, the IRS will hold its fifth edition, specifically to mark the World Day to Combat Piracy.
“It is a persistent activity of the Revenue, planned to be carried out twice a year. Being one of the educational effects ”, said Odilon Junior.
In this week's joint effort, which started yesterday and ends next Friday (6), 1.300 tons of products such as pirated CDs and DVDs, cigarettes, used tires, drinks, cosmetics, condoms, medicines, food unfit for consumption, products will be destroyed chemicals that do not meet sanitary or agricultural defense standards.
The goods seized by the IRS in operations to combat smuggling and embezzlement can have three types of destination. The first is the public auction, in the case of goods that pose no risk to the population. The second is the incorporation by federal, state and municipal public entities. The third case includes products such as those being destroyed this week, which threaten health.
Destruction can be done in several ways, such as incineration in high temperature ovens, in the case of chemicals and cigarettes. Products such as CDs and glasses are subjected to machines the size of roller compressors. The origin of these products is quite varied, but “they mostly come from China”, explained Odilon Junior.
The IRS does not have comparative data on the volume of seizures in Brazil and other countries, but the volume collected places the country among the ten who most commit this type of infraction. The operations are supported by the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police and military police in the states.
According to the IRS, up to April this year, a volume of goods in the amount of R $ 415 million was seized. Of this total, 24% went to public agencies, 12% to charities, 21% were auctioned, 8,5% were returned to those interested in administrative and judicial proceedings and 34,5% were taken to destruction.
