Philip Morris Dominicana recognizes President Abinader’s leadership in the fight against illicit trade

Santo Domingo.– The company Philip Morris Dominicana recognized the leadership of President Luis Abinader and the progress of the Dominican Republic in combating illicit trade, following the publication of the Illicit Trade Index 2025, which positions the country among the least vulnerable in Latin America to this phenomenon.

The Dominican Republic advanced to 50th place out of 188 countries in the Illicit Trade Index 2025, prepared by the International Coalition Against Illicit Trade (TRACIT), climbing 15 positions thanks to the strengthening of the legal framework, inter-institutional coordination, and the sustained application of measures against this crime. Since 2020, the country did not appear in this measurement, which highlights the structural leap achieved in just five years and reflects the Government’s firm institutional commitment to legality, transparency, and the protection of the formal economy.

Through an official communication addressed to the president, the company Philip Morris Dominicana highlighted that the report, prepared by the International Coalition Against Illicit Trade (TRACIT), places the Dominican Republic alongside countries such as Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, reflecting the Government’s firm institutional commitment to legality, transparency, and the protection of the formal economy.

The document highlights the progress made in the pillars of political commitment and public-private cooperation, emphasizing initiatives such as the Illicit Activities Roundtable and the inter-institutional coordination led by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs. It also recognizes the strengthening of the Command and Control Center (CECCOM) and border controls in strategic provinces, actions that have allowed for a more effective confrontation of the smuggling of regulated products, in defense of public health and national competitiveness. In its statement, the company also noted that it has actively contributed to these results by collaborating with the authorities in actions to prevent illicit trade, including intelligence sharing, strengthening operational capabilities, donating specialized technology, and supporting the institutions responsible for the country’s economic security. The multinational highlighted that in 2024 alone, seven historic convictions were achieved and more than 75 million illicit units were seized, results that demonstrate the positive impact of the Dominican model and consolidate it as a regional reference in good practices against illegal trade. The communication also recognizes the role of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, Víctor Bisonó, for his leadership in coordinating the Illicit Activities Roundtable and consolidating a model that positions the Dominican Republic as a regional benchmark in the fight against illicit trade.

The figures support this historic performance

The Dominican Republic closed the year 2025 with historic results in the fight against illicit trade, recording more than 30 convictions, a significant increase in the incineration of illegal goods and an unprecedented volume of seizures, according to official data from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes (MICM). One of the most relevant achievements is that the country reported zero deaths from adulterated alcohol between 2021 and 2025, a milestone that demonstrates the effectiveness of the control, inspection, and prosecution actions implemented by the authorities to eradicate this scourge that for years negatively impacted public health. During 2025, the authorities seized more than 172 million units of illicit goods, with seizures of tobacco and derivatives standing out, with 102,162,549 units, followed by seized medications, with 68,580,556 units, and alcohol and derivatives, with 1,714,651 bottles withdrawn from the market. The statistics also show a sustained growth in seizures, reaching 95,772,335 units in 2025, a figure higher than the sum of the years 2021 to 2024. Similarly, the incinerated goods totaled 67,668,689 units, exceeding by more than 67 million the amount incinerated in the previous four years combined. Authorities highlighted that these results consolidate 2025 as a historic year in the fight against illicit trade and reaffirm the Dominican State’s commitment to protecting health, citizen security, fair competition, and strengthening the formal economy.