DECRETO N° 4.670.

Bs. Ace. 24/5/62.

VISTO AND CONSIDERING:

That the alarming nature of smuggling in the country is a concern for both public and private sectors, which is why, within the emergency financial programme and bases for the sanitation and expansion of the economy, released on the 15th of the current month, there are ongoing measures related to the matter.

In order to achieve effective results in the fight against this crime, it is necessary to drastically change the methods traditionally followed. Efforts have thus far been made to suppress smuggling through staff brigades dedicated to limited objectives, preferably by the National Counter-Based Repression Board. The effort will henceforth be aimed at preventing smuggling, creating the appropriate means for this purpose.

That, for this purpose, it is necessary to repeal the decrees created and organized by the National Board of Repression of the Contrabando, since the experience shows that this body, without legal backing that endorses its repressive procedures, has not been able nor can it exercise the effective action necessary to reduce even the intensity and volume that the crime has acquired.

In addition, it is appropriate to establish a coordinating body at the highest level consisting of the incumbents and the security forces and the National Customs Directorate, under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State of Finance, responsible for coordinating information and procedures for the prevention and suppression of smuggling, with an executive body that will chair the head of the National Customs Directorate and be integrated with the representatives of the security forces.

That the input of information and the experience of private activity will undoubtedly prove to be of unquestionable value for the effectiveness of the role of the new agency and its executive entity, for which both one and the other will be integrated with trade and industry representative advisers.

Article 1 ! The Coordinating Council for the Prevention and Suppression of the Counter-Based shall be established within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.

Art. 2° − The Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of State of Finance and shall be composed of the National Director of Customs, the National Director of Gendarmerie, the Chief of the Federal Police, the National Maritime Prefect and the Chief of Police Coordination of the Ministry of the Interior, as vocals, and one delegate of the representative entities of the industry and one of those of trade, as advisers.

The Secretary of State of the Treasury may delegate the Presidency to any of the vowels, in case of absence or impediment.

Art. 3° ­ It will be the Council's mission to coordinate information to prevent smuggling and to guide its proper repression, actions will be exercised by the respective security forces and control agencies in accordance with the legal provisions, in the areas of their competence.

Art. 4° − The Council shall, within its capacity, constitute the organ of the performance of its mission which shall be chaired by the head of the National Customs Directorate and shall be integrated with a representative of the other vowels and advisers; shall issue its internal rules of operation and shall determine in general and in particular its activities, in relation to the objective specified in rule 3rd.

Art. 5° − Representatives of private activity in general will have access to such a position, for the purpose of advice, informative or illustrative, and in any way that it deems useful their collaboration in achieving the objectives pursued.

Art. 6° ­ To ensure the efficiency of its mission, the Council may directly require the informational collaboration of any agency or unit of the state, being obligatory by them, to provide it.

Article 7: The Council shall propose to the Executive Branch, through the Ministry of Finance the innovations and modifications it considers necessary to apply to the legal and regulatory rules governing the matter.

Art. 8° . Deploy the decrees number 1,588/58 and 352/59, related to the creation and operation of the National Repression Board of the Contraband.

Art. 9° . Within sixty (60) days of the date of the present decree, the former National Repression Board of the Comptroller shall transfer to the Council established by article 1 its assets and documentation.

Article 10 The Ministry of the State of the Treasury shall, as appropriate, make available or project appropriate budgetary measures for the purpose of this decree.

Article 11 The present decree will be endorsed by the Ministers Secretaries in the Departments of Economics, National Defense and Interior and signed by the Secretaries of State of Finance, War and Marina.

Art. 12 - Please contact the General Directorate of the Official Gazette and Prints and Archdiocese.

GUIDE. - Jorge W. Perkins. Alvaro C. Alsogaray. - José L. Castillo. - Rafael R. Ayala. - Gaston C. Clement. - Juan B. Loza.