Costa Rica seizes R22

COSTA RICA: Authorities in Costa Rica have seized 20,000kg of R22 refrigerant in a swoop on a company in the port city of Limón.

During inspections of the company’s records by Costa Rica’s Fiscal Control Police in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Energy, about 400 wrongly declared imported cylinders of R22 were found. The cylinders were seized from the company which supplies gas to shipping.

“One of our obligations as tax police is acting against illegal imports, including the omission of non-tariff requirements,” said Luis Alonso Bonilla, director of the PCF. “The protection of the ozone layer is a global issue and Costa Rica can not be left behind, it could be subject to international sanctions,” he added.