Santo Domingo.- The truckers’ union Fenatrado Thursday afternoon halted transport in five of the country’s ports, to protest the Customs Agency’s (DGA) confiscation of four of its trucks

The trucks were retained in West Haina Port after DGA agents found a load of coal which hadn’t paid the import taxes.

The stoppage, staged from 1 p.m. till after 5 p.m., affected the East Haina, Haina Occidental, San Pedro, Puerto Plata  and Caucedo ports.

The truckers lifted the blockade after Dominican Port Authority director Sigfrido Pared ordered the release of the trucks, but after leaving the coal in a Customs warehouse, said Fenatrado president Blas Peralta.

“Abuse"

Peralta told newspaper Diario Libre that the four trucks were detained Wednesday morning when they transported their load to an unidentified cement company, a confiscation he called "abuse" by Customs.

He said this action is common in the country’s ports, as Customs, instead of penalizing the companies which own the freight reacts against truck drivers. “When a businessman doesn’t pay the taxes they want, they then want us to pay.”