Source: Comércio da Franca - SP - 19/11/2009

Sergio de Pinho / Commerce of Franca

SUPERVISION ON THE STREETS - Goods found on a bus that passed through Franca yesterday and were apprehendedDaniel Rodrigues

Newsroom

Tax officials from the Federal Revenue of France seized a bus full of products from Paraguay yesterday afternoon. All passengers lost more than half of their goods. The objects, mostly electronic devices, were screened and those that had no bills or exceeded the $ 300 quota were seized. The "sacoleiros" will answer for the crime of misdirection. The Federal Revenue Service's action is part of a smuggling crackdown that will take place on alternate days in France and the region.

The inspection that surprised the sacoleiros took place around 13 pm on Avenida Dr. Ismael Alonso e Alonso. The Passos (MG) bus, with 34 passengers, six of them from Franca, coming from Foz do Iguaçu (PR), was stopped at the blitz. The IRS inspectors were monitoring the collective as soon as he entered the city. After approaching it, they found that their luggage rack was full of goods made in Paraguay. With support from the Military Police, the agents escorted the vehicle to the headquarters of the IRS.

All the products purchased by the sacoleiros in Paraguay were removed from the luggage compartment of the bus. Inspection by the inspectors was thorough. Regular goods that crossed the border were returned to the sacoleiros, but most of them were actually retained. “These are products that entered the country in an irregular way. Many passengers exceeded the quota of US $ 300 or purchased products that characterize illegal marketing, ”said Nilton Simões, head of inspection at the Federal Revenue Service of Franca.

More than five dozen cell phones, 15 notebooks, various computer components, beverages, HTs (radio communicators), among other products such as perfumes and toys, did not pass through the inspectors' “comb” and were apprehended. According to the authorities, the products had no taxes collected. The value of the retained goods is still not officially known. A balance sheet should be made and released today. The estimation of the loss of each bagger can be made from a merchant who preferred anonymity. He alone lost more than 50 cell phones. “I lost more than R $ 3 in goods,” said the boy, who lives in Passos (MG).

The head of inspection said that the IRS is on alert and investigating all reports of irregular entry of products. “New actions must take place on alternate days. The surprise inspection is part of an operation to combat smuggling and embezzlement, ”said Simões.

The destination of seized goods, such as CDs, DVDs, perfumes, toys without an Inmetro seal (National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality) and cigarette packs, is to be destroyed. The rest, such as electronic devices, after being examined can be donated to charities after permission from the Federal Court.

STOLEN
Another group of 20 grenadiers who left Passos (MG) to shop in Paraguay was mugged on Tuesday afternoon. The bus, which was going to Foz do Iguaçu, (PR) was on the Altino Arantes Highway. At kilometer 30, between the cities of Altinópolis and Batatais, the vehicle was approached by three armed and hooded men. The criminals forced the driver to enter a dirt road, access to a cane field. All occupants of the vehicle were forced to get off the bus and searched by the assailants. The action, according to the victims informed the police, lasted approximately three hours. They fled taking R $ 50 thousand in money and valuables.