Authorities seize nearly $19.5 million in illicit Chinese goods in Santo Domingo

Institutions collaborating under the "Mesa de Ilícitos" (Illicit Goods Task Force), coordinated by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Mipymes (MICM), have confiscated 119,708 units of illicit merchandise valued preliminarily at 19,482,180 pesos. The seizure occurred during an operation at a Chinese-owned commercial establishment in the Villa Consuelo sector of Santo Domingo.

The confiscated items included alcoholic beverages, high-end premium cigarettes, sexual stimulants, and medications being sold irregularly. The operation was carried out by the Specialized Corps for Fuel Control and Merchandise Trade (Ceccom), with support from the Directorate General of Medicines, Food, and Sanitary Products (Digemaps) and the General Directorate of Migration (DGM). Fiscal prosecutors from the Public Ministry's Intellectual Property Unit were also present.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Mipymes, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, reiterated the ministry's commitment to combating merchants operating outside of current commercial, sanitary, and fiscal laws. He praised the collaborative efforts of the institutions involved in the task force. According to authorities, the seized merchandise lacked proper sanitary registration and displayed significant labeling irregularities. These issues presented a risk to public health and represented a scheme of tax evasion detrimental to the Dominican state.

During the operation, five Haitian nationals with irregular migratory status were also detained and handed over to migration inspectors. All confiscated goods were transferred under custody to the Ceccom headquarters for further institutional processing. The report follows previous concerns about the closure of Chinese businesses, which had led to job losses and operational paralysis.