Customs and excise collect SFr21.3 billion
The amount of money taken by customs and excise authorities fell to SFr21.3 billion ($19.9 billion) last year, down from a record SFr23.7 billion in 2008.
At a media conference on Tuesday the Federal Customs Administration (FCA) said officials investigated 6,100 cases of organised smuggling, down from 7,000 in 2008 and 8,000 in 2007. In most cases the aim was to avoid value-added tax.
The total taken by the FCA is equivalent to around a third of the annual federal income. Value added tax accounted for SFr10.2 billion.
Meat, corn, fruit and vegetables were the most frequently smuggled foods.
Other duties performed by the customs officials included checking the roadworthiness of trucks and preventing people trafficking and the entry of illegal immigrants.
swissinfo.ch and agencies
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