Its appears the the Aduana, have now sized vehicles from both Nuevo Helvecia & Sandra's

More info here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Over...1921344336841/

More info pls, as not everybody on the HU uses Fakebook. Thank you. Gracias. mika

This is the text from the linked article in the posts:

In a proceeding carried out by the Regional Headquarters of Southwest Surveillance and the Customs Administration of Juan Lacaze, last Thursday, September 14, 18 vehicles were seized with an estimated value exceeding one million dollars.

The procedure was carried out in a hotel of Nueva Helvecia, after an anonymous denunciation received by the National Direction of Customs.
The 18 vehicles seized and did not have the corresponding documentation of entry or nationalization.

- Truck Brand Volkswagen California
- SUV brand Land Rover
- Truck Brand Toyota
- Truck Brand Toyota
- Truck Brand Land Rover
- Truck Fiat
- Truck Brand Mercedes Benz
- Motor home Brand IVECO
- Motor home Brand MAN
- Motor Home Brand Mercedez Benz
- Motor Home Brand Man
- Motor Home Brand Man
- Motor Home Brand Fiat
- Motor Home Brand IVECO
- Motor Home Brand Mercedez Benz
- Motor Home Brand Mercedez Benz
- Motor Home Brand Mercedez Benz
- Motorcycle Honda Honda TRANSALP

Other posts on FB say that these two places were raided Nuevo Helvecia and Sandra's.

I would suggest if people need info on this to join the group Overlanding The Americas as some of the people affected are posting updates and general seems the best source of information right now

I will try and post updates here if i see them

Reason given by aduana is that entry of a vehicle under a TVIP is conditional on the vehicle being there for tourism purposes. A vehicle parked up while the authorised driver is out of the country is obviously not being used for tourism.

Trouble is the practice has been condoned for many years.

Court case on 18th when a judge will rule on whether aduana action is legal.

Aduana web site is here -- http://www.aduanas.gub.uy/innovaport...-helvecia.html

and there are photos of the vehicles. Sandras storage also involved and that is in addition to the 18 vehicles mentioned here

__________________
Tony
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Tony Lee,

What, where is Sandras?

thanks,
xfiltrate

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Tony Lee,

Is this the Sandras you mentioned?

Parking en Uruguay

xfiltrate

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[Edit by moderator] I have researched - a phone call to our Argentine attorney - to discover the why behind the recent confiscations by the aduana (customs) of Uruguay of vehicles/motos in Uruguay on an expired or non existent TVIPs.

Uruguay has always been very lax about issuing and enforcing TVIP policy. The reality is if a vehicle/moto overstays its' TVIP, it is forfeited, with little chance of appeal.

It was explained to me that the courts are not equipped to handle the volume of potential appeals. Of course, money talks and a lot of money talks louder, so this is not definitive.

As far as I have determined it was the attached statement from Sandras, found on the the Parking en Uruguay web site, that grabbed the attention of the authorities /aduana (customs) of Uruguay. A cover story has been invented and presented .

As those who read here know it is illegal to sell a foreign registered vehicle/moto entered into a Mercosur country on a TVIP in that country... - and yet the "Sandras" web site - at least without further explanation makes it appear that "Sandras" can sell foreign plated vehicles entered into Uruguay on a TVIP in Uruguay. That is if you read between the lines....

Apparently a sting operation is ongoing. I doubt the aduana (customs) will confirm what my attorney has explained to me, due to current operations.

So, while "Sandras" carefully worded offer to sell vehicles without the owner being present might not be against TVIP policy, the inference that TVIP entered vehicles might be sold is against TVIP policy.

This is a fine point to be determined by past behavior of Sandras and a court of law.

[edit]

Anyone who has read my posts knows I have championed the cause of obeying TVIP policy regarding the prohibition of the sale of motos entered into a country on a TVIP, in that country.

I feel confident that those with valid TVIPs issued in Uruguay will not lose their vehicles/motos, but those with non existent TVIPs or expired TVIPs might suffer the consequences.

[edit]

If I had to guess, i suspect the insurance companies are - in some way - due to a current liability case - behind this crackdown. If the insurance company can prove an illegal sale of the vehicle they insure, the insurance company does not have to pay liabilities.

xfiltrate

attached thumbnail is from : Parking en Uruguay

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Discover how to legally Buy, Tour and Sell a motorcycle in Argentina

Yes, and she has confirmed the action in an email to another traveller

Problem is ALL vehicles have been placed under customs seal and people have been forced into expensive plane tickets and long delays without any access to their vehicles or possessions. Seems that the action is not just against expired tips, although obviously there will be a few caught in the net and they will be in big trouble, but against all vehicles that are not engaged in ongoing day to day touristic activities under the immediate control of the visa holder which is the whole basis for allowing entry in the first place. A truck sitting in a yard for 11 months with the owner back in Germany loses the protection of the Vienna Convention on road Traffic and becomes liable for import duties. Sandra claims to have valid TVIPs for every vehicle in her yard. Another traveller was at the aduana within five hours of the confiscation with valid TVIP to no avail so I would suggest there is no reason why this couldn't happen in Argentina too. Sandra's place was the second and the original at the hotel was more than a week ago. I doubt that Uruguay cares two hoots about foreigners swapping vehicles because it and the storage has been going on for many years anbd must be the worst kept secret in history. Make no waves and the authorities won't care. Don't ask, don't tell etc etc

If I hadn't sold the camper it would have been parked at one of these places and then I would have had the problem of deciding whether it was worth spending 16000 dollars on airfares plus hotels to rescue a vehicle that I sold for 18000. I suspect it would have stayed there and good riddance. Frankly, I'm fairly glad to be shot of the whole place. The scenery was wonderful and the people were great, but the constant concern about what sort of crap the next person in uniform was going to pull - while a bit of a challenge in the early days - took all of the fun out of the journey

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Over...erica/?fref=nf is probably the best source of news, but probably nothing new to report until after the court case

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Tony
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