PANAMA'S Customs Authority raised $1.471 billion dollars in 2015, $52.9 million more than the previous year.

The authority  said the 3.7% growth  is due to "customs controls by the institution against the smuggling and customs tax fraud, with year round inspections

The Customs Directorate of Prevention and Control (DPFA)  says it has built a “retaining wall” that prevented the increase in illegal trade across borders, ports and airports around the country.

Th  value of seized  contraband in 2015 was  39 million, $6 million more than in 2014  an extra million cigarettes  were seized bringing the total to 27.9 million..