Venezuela has declared it to regulate private shipments of food and medicine.
CARACAS Reuters - Venezuela plans to introduce new regulations on courier shipments of food, medicine and other products in an effort to raise more taxes, one government and two private sector sources said on Thursday.
Door-to-door courier services, also known as door-to-door courier services, are utilized by some retailers to bring in goods like toilet paper, detergent, and diapers from countries such as the United States.
They were originally used by individuals to curb shortages in Venezuela's crisis-ridden economy, but de facto dollarization has resulted in retailers also taking advantage of the fewer restrictions and tax exemptions on the couriers.
The government does not provide official figures on the volume of such shipments, which arrive by boat and plane. But in a bid to raise tax revenue amid U.S. sanctions and a faltering oil industry, the government is preparing to regulate them.
A government source said the door-to-door doors will remain and we are working on regulations.
In late June, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and other officials met with business people to discuss regulation, but no specific measures came out of the meeting, the two private sector sources said.
This week, several courier companies, mostly local outfits, said on social media that they would discontinue shipments as they await official action.
Further regulations may make shipments - which can sometimes even include furniture - more expensive.
The government did not respond to a request for comment.