Federal Customs Service Releases 500,000 Imported Covid-19 Test Kits in Record Time

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – By simplifying procedures implemented after the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Treasury released 500,000 rapid detection test kits for the covid-19 in record time. In 68 minutes, customs officials at Cumbica Airport in Guarulhos, São Paulo, cleared the first batch of tests imported from China.

Shipped by the Emirates airline, the cargo weighed six tons and landed in Brazil late Monday afternoon, March 30th. The expedited release entailed a joint effort between the Federal Treasury, the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), the Ministry of Health, the GruAirport concessionaire (which operates the Cumbica Airport) and the airline company.

The clearance represents the release of the cargo into the country after verification of its conformity with regulations. This was the first of five lots of kits to be imported from China, through Guarulhos Airport, over the next 30 days, totaling five million tests. Last Saturday, March 28th, the Ministry of Health announced that it intends to expand the procurement of rapid tests to ten million.

According to the Federal Treasury, the expedited clearance procedure also occurred in Belém, where the importation of 20 ventilators was released to care for patients immediately after arrival. To accelerate the clearance, the Treasury Department office in Pará monitored the processing of the import license while the equipment was analyzed by ANVISA. The physical check was conducted simultaneously upon arrival of the equipment. The cooperation also included state and municipal agencies.