The Deputy Minister of Fight Against the Smuggling, Luis Amílcar Velásquez, said that soldiers from the Strategic Operational Command of the Fight Against Smuggling (CEO-LCC) carried out a number of operations and seized vehicles loaded with potatoes for a cost of 50,000 bolivianos (more than seven thousand dollars). He added that 500 quintals of corn and 5,120 kilograms of chicken destined for Peru were also seized, valued at 81,920 bolivianos (almost 12 thousand dollars).

Another operation intercepted a truck that was illegally transporting 26 thousand liters of diesel, whose value exceeds 97 thousand bolivianos (about 15 thousand dollars).

The authority reported having intercepted four vehicles loaded with two thousand quintals of corn, a volume valued at 220 thousand bolivianos (more than 30 thousand dollars), as well as another transport loaded with 580 quintals of sugar, valued at 116 thousand bolivianos (almost 17 thousand dollars).

The CEO-LCC agents mobilized in Viacha, department of La Paz, seized a truck loaded with potatoes coming from Peru, whose value is around 98 thousand bolivianos (14 thousand dollars). They also intercepted two trailers that were carrying corn to Peru, with merchandise valued at 100 thousand bolivianos (about 15 thousand dollars).

Velázquez reported that this Tuesday the CEO-LCC officers seized another five trucks with food diverted to Peru, and that they were delivered to the Food Production Support Company (EMAPA) for sale among the population.

In an interview with the Bolivia TV state channel, the Deputy Minister of Consumer Protection, Jorge Silva said that “goods from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru were introduced before, but now, given that prices in those territories has doubled or tripled Bolivia’s, smugglers resort to illegally selling Bolivian goods in those countries.

The Deputy Minister avoided giving further details of the new plan so as not to alert the network of smugglers who operate in Bolivia taking out national products.

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