Carca of 90 people protest in front of the Palácio dos Bandeirantes, headquarters of the São Paulo government, against the crime of smuggling, which registered a growth of 15% last year in the country, reaching R $ 115 billion. The demonstration takes place on the National Day to Combat Smuggling.

The protesters also criticize the increase in taxes on national products, promoted by the government of São Paulo. "When the taxation of the industry and the productive sector increases, the problem of smuggling, an illegal market, increases," said Rodolpho Ramazzini, a lawyer specialized in combating fraud, counterfeiting and smuggling at the Brazilian Association to Combat Counterfeiting. According to him, the measure results in an increase in the entry of illegal goods from Paraguay.

“The state government increased the taxation on the sectors, causing the industry as a whole, be it the sector of auto parts, toys, electronics and cigarettes, to be smothered by the problem of smuggling. The smuggled product ends up reaching the end consumer with safety, quality and health problems for a quarter of the price of the national product, ”said Ramazzini. He also complained about the increase in the rate of the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS).

As of 12 noon, the association will destroy contraband products (especially cigarettes) and release a balance sheet to show that almost 2 operations for seizing contraband products have been carried out in the last 12 months. There was an increase of 17% in the volume of operations in relation to the previous period.

The state government informed the Agency Brazil who will not comment.