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Santo Domingo.- Hundreds of large motorcycles are being smuggled into Dominican Republic, dodging Customs taxes and driven without license plates, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) revealed Wednesday.

Amet spokesman Jacobo Mateo Moquete said agents have stopped dozens of bikers he affirms have dodged paying taxes on motorcycles as big as 750, 1,000 and 1,100 CCs without documents.

He said the motorcycles’ owners include young businessmen , professionals, military, police and former residents of the United States.

He said the impounded motorcycles are remanded to the Customs Agency if their owners fail to produce license plates after being arrested for traffic violations.

"We found that many high-powered motorcycles being driven in the country entered illegally, dismantled and within certain shipments from the United States," the official said, stressing that they enter unbeknownst to Customs inspectors. “The owners then proceed to reassemble them in certain workshops in the capital and the interior of country.”

Mateo’s revelation comes one day after he announced several arrests and confiscation of large motorcycles, for violations including riding  in tunnels and overpasses and no helmets, when Amet agents had to give chase to a bikers club from La Romana, whose members failed to heed the order to pull over.

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COMMENTS
11 comment(s)
Written by: josean, 20 Feb 2013 12:01 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016


Is that the "pasola" Little Rickey takes to catch the USELESS METRO?



Written by: LVRod, 20 Feb 2013 12:34 PM
From: Dominican Republic
The law has to be applaied without any comptemplation. This example must help to search for another wikness in the costom procedures to avoit loss of revenue for the State.
Written by: Danilo, 20 Feb 2013 12:55 PM
From: Dominican Republic, www.DuckyDeals.com
That's actually pretty smart, but it seems you wouldn't be able to get papers or a license plate for it. Maybe it'll work to ride in the woods or in small towns. Otherwise if you're not a Haitian you'll get pulled over right away.
Written by: Pedrin, 20 Feb 2013 2:40 PM
From: United States
You have to be insane to ride a motorcycle in the DR.
Written by: elcuby, 20 Feb 2013 2:51 PM
From: United States
I'm w you pedrin ,You have to be insane to ride a motorcycle in the DR. vacas ,chivos etc en las carreteras y el la ciudad ni hablar...
Written by: sweetbabyj, 20 Feb 2013 4:28 PM
From: United States
what else have they missed hidden in shipments coming in and especially since they have no x ray equipment to see what comes in or goes out. Try bringing in a USED TV at the airport the fine is more than the TV was new
Written by: RobertoJose, 20 Feb 2013 4:33 PM
From: United States, FREEPORT, Long Island.... ((You're blind to the fact that you're blind))
This has been done for many years now, quads, dirt bikes, cars even....
Written by: PuntaCanaMike, 20 Feb 2013 5:29 PM
From: Dominican Republic
I thought AMET"S job in essence was to make for a safe driving environment. They pull these bikes off the road...most of which would be deemed little threat to others on the road , yet 10's of 1000's of Suzukis drive the streets with far less than a plate. No lights, no brakes, no tread on the tires...total disregard for others on the road...carrying 5 passengers and a 100 lb propane tank. When I see AMET start doing their real job...I will give them my support.
Written by: Ricardolito, 20 Feb 2013 6:00 PM
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
PC Mike I totally agree ,,and every morning that I rise early ,,not so often these days ,,I walk to Jose Reyes garage and see all the bikes without lights, riders without helmets and all on high poweredbikes..Now my sweet little pasola has lights and mirrors , constantly replaced,, and is wonderful in the zona colonial streets and I venture to Gazcue and Villa Francisca and to San Martin with little danger ,,but I would not dare do what the pizza boys do on their pasolas ,
But in this case AMET are simply doing a job for the Customs office who must have been paid off to let them through .
Written by: walnut, 20 Feb 2013 8:07 PM
From: Dominican Republic, La Romana
As a resident of La Romana, I often see these "bikers" downtown on Sundays having their morning coffee.
If you have ever traveled the highway between the capital and La Romana on Sunday afternoon, youll have these psychos fly past you at 100mph in single file. They'll stop, have a cerveza and then fly past you again.
Bad guys? Hardly.
Absolutely insane? 100%.
Written by: rokete, 20 Feb 2013 9:06 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo

Everyone should obey the law including the police who are out there in motorcycles, without lights.

And the guy riding with the propane gas tank, to the one riding the wrong way on one way street.

To the Motoconcho with 3 passengers.

Also the ass h@436 from the government, blaring sirens without an emergency.

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