ANEI brings together private sector to combat illicit economies in Chile

Alessandri | Various private-sector industries have joined forces to establish the first National Association Against Illicit Economies (ANEI), an initiative aimed at coordinating strategic cooperation with authorities to reduce the supply of illegal products and discourage the purchase of goods through informal commerce in Chile.

The creation of the entity responds to a critical assessment of the expansion of criminal activity and the loss of public spaces. According to the recent report Por un Chile sin Economía Ilícita, prepared by the Confederation of Production and Commerce, illicit activities cause an estimated annual loss to the Chilean Treasury of approximately US$1.5 billion, while the private sector spends nearly US$2.7 billion to protect itself against organized crime.

Against this backdrop, leading companies from different industries have adopted an active position of corporate co-responsibility in addressing an issue that, according to the initiative, affects citizens, companies and the government alike. They have warned that smuggling, illicit trade and counterfeiting have become the main financial drivers of other illegal activities.

The coalition comprises BAT Chile, Duracell, Empresas SB, L’Oréal Groupe Chile and Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. It is chaired by Arturo Alessandri, a lawyer at Alessandri Abogados, and seeks to promote public initiatives based on the premise that the private sector plays a fundamental role in supporting government efforts.

"Today, the economic environment penalizes those who comply with the rules and favors informality, which financially supports criminal groups and facilitates their escalation into other crimes. We have valuable assessments regarding both the decline in tax revenues and the cost of the security burden that the private sector must bear. We seek to be a platform for sharing information and developing activities supported by private initiative, with the aim of finding joint solutions with the State, regulatory authorities and citizens. We believe it is time to take action," said Arturo Alessandri, president of ANEI.

Broad-based support

The launch was attended by representatives of the private sector, civil society and the public sector, including Chile’s Undersecretary of Cultures and the Arts, Carlos Lobos Mosqueira, who called on "actors from all areas to join this cross-sector effort and contribute to a safer nation for all."

María Teresa Vial, president of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, added: "Companies must step forward by providing concrete data and practical experience. ANEI will make it possible to confront organized crime, which cannot be dismantled using the same tools as before."

For her part, Pilar Lizana, PhD in Government and Public Administration and a member of the advisory board of the Territorial Security Observatory of the Association of Municipalities of Chile (AMUCH), highlighted the value of the alliance: "Organized crime operates according to business logic, seeks to maximize profitability and uses violence as a business tool. Illicit economies grow silently, fueling this phenomenon and generating a significant social and fiscal cost for Chile. To defeat them, it is necessary to understand the nature of this threat and respond with a unified strategy between the public and private sectors. In this regard, the creation of ANEI is a fundamental step."

Industry proposals

The association proposes establishing a State policy that remains in force beyond changes in government, seeking to provide cross-sector support to all administrations.

Its main proposals include:
1. Establishing a public-private association (ANEI) that recognizes the business community as a strategic ally in combating illicit economies, capable of contributing value through tools such as information and technology cooperation.
2. Supporting the creation of a National Interinstitutional Information System that operates independently and guides public-private efforts.
3. Unifying public discourse on illicit economies in order to establish consistent definitions, narratives and actions that put an end to their romanticization, particularly in commerce.
4. Formalizing public-private cooperation mechanisms to combat illicit economies, ensuring their continuity and ongoing evaluation.
Implementing an efficient system for managing seized goods that allows for the early destruction or social reuse of confiscated goods, with the aim of freeing operational capacity in warehouses, courts and customs.

About ANEI
The National Association Against Illicit Economies (ANEI) is a Chilean initiative founded in 2026. It emerged directly from the private sector and brings together a consortium of companies and industries affected by smuggling, illegal trade, counterfeiting, piracy and associated tax evasion. Its main objective is to urgently coordinate a common and coordinated effort with the State, regulatory authorities and citizens to combat illicit economies, recover public spaces and reactivate the local economy.

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