As a measure to combat the phenomenon of «narco luggage»the Municipality of Calama will force intercity bus companies to label suitcases, bags and packages, so that they are associated with passengers that they are their owners.

The Municipal Council approved, in a unanimous vote, the modification to the municipal ordinance, based on a proposal that the Government worked on with the municipality and the OS-7 of Carabineros during the last 10 months.

This, because in the Province of El Loa The seizure of illicit substances usually occurs in bus loading areas in terminalsin some cases in large quantities of drug, but generally without the owner being able to identify of luggage among the passengers.

«One of the phenomena that occurs is the distribution of drugs through ‘narco-luggage’ on intercity buses, and what happens there is that since there is no obligation to have luggage associated with a passenger, many times there are impunity,» said the provincial delegate, Miguel Ballesteros.

For this reason, «in November of last year we went to the Transportation Commission of the Municipal Council where we were able to explain the scope, the need and the aspects that were going to be modified in this ordinance, the relevance of this ordinance,» he pointed out.

In detail, Agencies must have lists that contain the user’s name and ID, destination information and luggage number.

The ordinance, which is expected to begin implementation starting this month, also establishes the increase in surveillance cameras in terminals, and that their recordings remain at the disposal of the Public Ministry and the police; and increases the sanctions, up to 5 UTM, for administrators in case of non-compliance.

𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗯𝗮 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗷𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗷𝗲𝘀 #calama @ChamorroEliecer pic.twitter.com/pt7pPqKYl9

— Calama Municipality (@municipiocalama) April 9, 2024