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Dominican Republic Intensifies Fight Against Illicit Asian Imports Amid Record Trade Growth
By Guzmán Ariza, Attorneys at Law
The authorities in the Dominican Republic — led by the Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) — have strengthened enforcement against what they call “illicit Asian trade,” a term used to describe imports from Asia that enter the country under undervaluation, customs‑fraud, or other mechanisms that circumvent legal and fiscal rules.
Recent DGA data shows a substantial increase in imports from Asian countries, especially from China. According to customs records for 2024, imports from China reached about USD 5,399.0 million, representing 17.8% of the Dominican Republic’s total import volume that year — marking a 12.2% increase compared with 2023.
The surge in trade has been accompanied by intensified scrutiny by the DGA. Through post‑import fiscalizations, mostly targeting Asian companies, customs and tax authorities have reviewed more than 115,000 import declarations in recent years and initiated audits on 102 firms in 2024 alone, 30 of them in coordination with the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII).
Through these actions, the government reports having recovered over 15,215 million Dominican pesos (roughly USD 239 million) in additional taxes and fines tied to illicit or improperly declared imports, many of which involve Asian‑origin goods.
In addition to enforcement, the DGA has promoted transparency and data‑driven oversight. In late 2024 it launched a new external “Dashboard of Foreign Trade Data,” intended to make available to importers, exporters and investors consolidated statistics on imports and exports, including breakdowns by country of origin, product categories, and trade regimes.
Meanwhile, total imports of the Dominican Republic continue to grow. Between January and May 2025, imports reached approximately USD 12,266.23 million, a 1.22% increase over the same period in 2024. Non‑oil goods were the main driver of this rise.
Customs authorities say that the fight against illicit trade will remain a priority, deploying measures such as enhanced risk‑value assessments at the customs clearance stage, use of technologies like X‑rays and body‑cams, revaluation of high‑risk containers, coordinated inspections with tax authorities, and closure of companies found violating trade laws.
Guzmán Ariza, Attorneys at Law
Guzmán Ariza is a leading full-service law firm in the Dominican Republic, consistently ranked among the country’s top-tier firms by the most prominent global legal directories such as Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.
With ten strategically located offices across the nation's principal business and tourism hubs, we are uniquely positioned to support clients in seizing opportunities within the largest and fastest-growing economy in Central America and the Caribbean.
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