Customs recovers RD$1,652 million in undeclared Chinese imports

The Directorate General of Customs (DGA) has recovered RD$1,652 million so far this year from Chinese imports that were not properly declared. The figure comes from controls the institution maintains in the primary customs zone, ports and airports, according to Listín Diario.

The amount is not small. It speaks to a flow of goods that was entering without paying the taxes it owed, and to an enforcement apparatus that is starting to close gaps. In a country where tourism drives a significant share of the economy, informality in imports distorts competition: the hotel that buys equipment, supplies or technology paying tariffs competes at a disadvantage against those bringing in the same goods through the back door.

The takeaway for the sector is straightforward. Every peso recovered is a peso the State can reinvest in infrastructure, promotion or security, three things Dominican tourism needs like air. And it is a signal for hotel investors: the rules of the game are being tidied up, and that always favors those who play fair. Enforcement at ports and airports is not an obstacle, it is part of the same ecosystem that makes it possible for Punta Cana, Samaná or Puerto Plata to remain trustworthy destinations.