Prosecutors Seize More Than $40,000 at Home of Import Customs Chief Involved in Tax Fraud Network

The Specialized Prosecutor for Customs Crimes Callao announced today, Sunday, the end of Accounting money found in the house of the head of the Import Department Customs, Lizardo Perez Coyla. This amount is 43 thousand dollars.

Initially, the prosecutor’s office indicated that the amount was $423,000; however, they later clarified that it was $43,000.

Similarly, at the headquarters of América Import EIRL, owned by Yolanda Huaman Aquipucho, in total 9 million 238 thousand 900 soles and 534 thousand dollars were recorded. It is worth noting that last Friday, 4 million salts were found in the house of the aforementioned businesswoman.

prosecution indicated that the entire amount of seized money was “interned” in National Bankwhere it will remain while the tax investigations are ongoing.”against 5 customs officers Sunat8 customs dispatchers and 19 [empresarios] importers” who may be part of an alleged criminal network engaged in tax fraud to the detriment of the state.

26 arrested by the prosecutor’s office

Early last Friday morning Special Prosecutor for Customs Crimes and Intellectual Property from Callao conducted a series of procedures in different districts of the capital and regions of the country, during which a total of 26 people were arrested, including officials Sunat and businessmen.

The trial was conducted in accordance with the ruling First Preparatory Investigative Court of the Supreme Court of Callao, which ordered the preliminary detention of a total of 32 people in various areas of the capital, as well as in Tacna, La Libertad and Arequipa.

In Lima, the tax action was held in the 4 quarter of the Jirón Cortijo, in Groovewhere he was arrested Freddy Aguilar Anayahead of the customs and import department Sunatwho, according to fiscal theory, knew and helped to prevent importers from paying the corresponding tariffs to the state.

On the other hand, in the Pueblo Libre area Yvonne Valverde Mori, Supervisor for customs clearance. In addition, in block 10 shred of juantin Cercado de Lima, the house where the business woman lives Yolanda Huamana total of 4 million salts were found.

In this regard, the director of the tax police Mr. PNP General José Ludenyaexplained that womanwho it importer who will be in charge of this business, built a kind of cell in the courtyard of his house to keep money in boxes.

In total, the prosecutor’s office conducted raids on 32 objects in different territorial units.

How did the alleged criminal network operate?

Lucia Lisana SegamaProvincial Attorney Specialized Attorney for Customs Offenses and Against Intellectual Property of Callao, explained in RPP News the way in which the alleged criminal network operated.

“What has been established within this alleged network-type criminal organization is that they 32 members, among them 5 customs officers, 8 commission agents or customs officers and 19 importers, including 5 Chinese citizens and 14 Peruvian citizens. Those who were arrested were 5 customs officers”he clarified.

According to the prosecutor, the criminal network would have resorted to two methods of committing illegal acts.

“These two modalities are being investigated: to stop paying taxes, that is, to evade paying tax in accordance with the list of importers who have been exempted from paying taxes. And the other modality is that some companies have adjusted the cost to pay according to the contract they made with the monetary arrangement between them,” he said.

The prosecutor also stressed that the crime he was charged with was committed in collusion with state officials.

“What they are accused of is the crime of misappropriation of customs revenues from aggravating circumstances. The criminal act we are investigating is mainly rehabilitation about paying taxes to a certain list of companies and adjusting their value to undervalue their goods, mainly textiles,” he said.

In addition, the specified aggravating circumstances will be: “participation of a criminal organization and participation of customs officers”.