Costa Rica puts a padlock on virtual mailboxes. The government aims to end system that allows duty-free imports

As Costa Ricans snap up Black Friday offers on the Internet, companies that provide them with US mailboxes have been receiving about three times as many packages as normal.

But the Finance ministry appears to have dampened enthusiasm by declaring that imports from the virtual mailboxes must pay import duties from now on.

Regular retailers face major competition from the mailbox companies and the government loses out when no duties are paid.


Original source (in Spanish): La República