Brazil to tighten inspection on international visitors

Starting next year, Brazil's Secretariat of the Federal Revenue will strengthen inspections on travelers arriving in Brazil by modernizing its communications and intelligence systems. According to the agency's Subsecretary for Customs and International Relations Ernani Checcucci, the Secretariat plans to punish international passengers who seize the opportunity of traveling to buy or sell illegal substances, and carry out other illicit commercial operations.

In the first semester of 2015, airlines will have to send to both the Secretariat and the Federal Police details about each passenger headed for Brazil from overseas. Information on the weight of the luggage, country of origin, the length of the trip will be analyzed by means of a database in order to identify suspects, who will be approached right after landing.

Checcucci explained that tightening up inspections does not aim to punish common tourists or professionals who travel abroad frequently. “The goal is to serve the common passenger swiftly, who will be exempt from the inspection, which will only focus on those who actually show the sign of an illicit act,” he noted.

He further pointed out that international passengers are allowed to bring up to $500 in imported goods—personal items like cell phones, cameras and computers not included.

In addition to the data sent by the airlines, inspections will entail the recognition suspects' faces. After the airplane lands, a biometric system will compare the face of the passengers selected for inspection with their passport picture. If any irregularities are found, the person will be requested to provide clarifications.

The conveyance of information from the carriers is planned to start in January for all international flights. Face recognition, however, should be gradually implemented at the airports up to the first semester of the coming year. The Secretariat estimates that the process of modernizing its databases and implementing the face recognition system will cost $6.23 million.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira