Chile customs association says officials not involved in deletion of truck‑scanner images

The National Association of Customs Officials of Chile (ANFACH) – Iquique branch – issued a public statement after reports that 102 images captured by a non‑intrusive inspection truck scanner at the Quillagua advance were deleted on 1‑2 February 2026. The images, which included data from a operation that uncovered more than 208 kg of cocaine hidden in a passenger bus, were stored and managed by an external contractor, not by customs personnel.

ANFACH confirmed that regional customs staff detected the loss, immediately reported it to the national customs service and informed the Public Ministry. The association emphasized that customs officials have no access to the storage platforms and therefore could not delete or alter the files. It also asserted that the deletion does not jeopardise the drug‑trafficking investigation because the case is supported by other records and evidence. ANFACH demanded a thorough investigation, appropriate sanctions for responsible parties, and clarification of how the confidential information was leaked, calling the incident "inaceptable" and stressing the role of customs in security and border protection.