Directorate General of Customs

What Directorate General of Customs does

The Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) is the national customs authority of El Salvador, operating under the Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance). Founded in 1936 and headquartered in Ilopango, San Salvador, the agency administers customs clearance at airports, maritime ports, and land border crossings including El Amatillo, Anguiatúa, Las Chinamas, La Hachadura, San Cristóbal, and El Poy. Its customer base spans international travelers, importers, exporters, logistics and transport companies, the Salvadoran diaspora, and 8 Trusted Operator (OEA) program participants. The agency manages trade flows representing significant portions of the country's commercial activity, with Anguiatúa alone handling 16% of border operations and generating over $192.8 million in revenue collection in 2022.

DGA's technology stack centers on the SIDUNEA World and SIDUNEA++ customs management platforms for declarations processing, supported by SIAP for integrated payments, VEA for transit management, SAC Electrónico for clearance, and the MIRANDA self-service portal handling valuation, classification, origin investigation, and duty refund queries. AI capabilities include the SGIR risk management system for pattern detection in trade behavior and an AI-assisted tariff code search tool. The agency also operates 26 high-tech laboratory units for merchandise analysis and 3 scanners processing over 100,000 bags annually. Regional integration is enabled through the PDCC Central American Digital Trade Platform coordinated by SIECA.

As a government entity, DGA generates no commercial revenue; instead, it collects customs duties, import VAT, and trade-related taxes on behalf of the Treasury, and operates ancillary revenue through auctioned abandoned goods. Modernization investments of approximately $35 million across border facilities ($17M El Amatillo, $15.7M Anguiatúa), technology ($2.6M from FOMILENIO II), and laboratory equipment ($1M) have been deployed since 2020. The agency pursues bilateral cooperation with Peru's SUNAT, participates in regional committees under SIECA, and receives funding from MCC/FOMILENIO II, BID, the European Union, and USAID for ongoing digital transformation and trade facilitation initiatives.

Name

Directorate General of Customs

Legal name

Dirección General de Aduanas de la República de El Salvador

Website

https://sitio.aduana.gob.sv

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customs Administration and Trade Facilitation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), International Affairs (92812), National Security and International Affairs (928)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Clearance & Border Trade Facilitation (BPAIADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customs Declaration & Filing (Import/Export Entry) Platforms (TLAEAOAA), Customs Brokerage Workflow & Case Management Software (TLAEAOAH), Interagency/International Information Exchange & Cooperation (BPAIADAN), Customs Brokerage & Trade Compliance Management (TLAIANAD)

Keywords

• Customs administration
• Border control services
• Trade facilitation
• Import export clearance
• Customs duty collection

Headquarters

HQ city

San Bartolo, Ilopango

HQ country

El Salvador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Customs Duties and Taxes Collection: The agency collects import and export duties, taxes, and fees including VAT on imports, serving as the primary revenue collection mechanism for the Salvadoran government from international trade.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) is the government customs authority of El Salvador, operating under the Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Hacienda). It administers customs operations at international airports, maritime ports, and land border crossings, processing import/export declarations, collecting customs duties and import taxes (IVA), facilitating international trade, and conducting contraband enforcement through the Plan Anticontrabando. The agency operates a unified platform-based customs management ecosystem anchored on SIDUNEA World and SIDUNEA++, supported by electronic payment, risk management, advance cargo declaration, and traveler self-service systems.

Product overview

The Dirección General de Aduanas operates a unified platform-based customs management ecosystem consisting of core systems SIDUNEA World and SIDUNEA++ for regional and national customs declarations, supported by SIAP for integrated payment processing. The portfolio includes VEA for electronic transit management, SAC Electrónico for automated clearance, and MIRANDA as a 24/7 self-service automation module handling valuation queries, tariff classification, origin investigation, and duty refunds. AI-powered capabilities include the Sistema de Gestión Integral de Riesgo (SGIR) for automated anomaly detection in trade patterns and an AI-assisted tariff code search tool. Regional integration is achieved through the Declaración Anticipada de Mercancías for border crossings and the Plataforma Digital de Comercio Centroamericano (PDCC) for Central American trade interoperability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIDUNEA World

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing time reduced from 8 minutes to 10 seconds for traveler declarations
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• SUNAT (Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y Administración Tributaria) - PerúcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2024Historical cooperation agreement between El Salvador and Peru customs authorities for exchange of best practices, training programs, and mutual collaboration. Signed by Director General Benjamín Mayorga and Superintendent Martha Garamendi. Part of President Bukele's achievements with benefits including best practice exchange and customs training cooperation.
• SIECA (Secretaría de Integración Económica Centroamericana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional integration organization coordinating Central American customs union, digital trade platform (PDCC), study of dispatch times, and regional customs criteria harmonization. Secretary General Francisco Lima Mena actively coordinating with DGA.
• Central American Customs Authorities (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panamá)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional customs coordination for integration, shared border management, unified customs procedures, and trade facilitation across Central America. Participation in Committee Aduanero Centroamericano and unified customs criteria development.
• Banco Hipotecario de El SalvadorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancial services partnership installing banking booth and ATM at Las Chinamas border crossing to provide financial services to tourists, cargo transporters, and border workers including payment of services, money transfers, and tax payments.
• ONUDC (Oficina de las Naciones Unidas contra la Droga y el Delito)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported development of Ethics and Integrity Code (CODEI) for DGA staff, contributing to anti-corruption and transparency initiatives in customs administration.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador (MRREE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with DGA in development of Ethics and Integrity Code (CODEI) supporting international conventions compliance and anti-corruption framework.
• CEPA (Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort authority coordinating with customs for ferry operations to Costa Rica and overall port facility management at La Unión and international airport.
• IFC (International Finance Corporation) / World Bank GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership under Sustainable Industries Project promoting voluntary clean production agreements between government and private sector, signed by DGA along with Environment, Health, Labor ministries.

Scale indicators32 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): U.S. federal customs authority providing the global benchmark for AI-based risk management, advance cargo declarations (ACE/AMS), and Authorized Economic Operator programs that DGA's SGIR and Trusted Operator model emulate. Operates at vastly larger scale with similar technology paradigms.
• SUNAT - Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria (Peru): Peruvian customs and tax authority and direct counterpart to DGA. Signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with DGA in January 2024 to exchange customs best practices and training. Operates a far larger national customs and tax administration but shares the same core function and institutional model.
• Servicio de Administración Tributaria (Mexico - SAT): Mexican tax and customs authority — a larger Latin American counterpart operating digital customs platforms (VUCEM), Trusted Trader programs (NEEC), and AI-based risk selection. Comparable in function but orders of magnitude larger in scale and scope.

Others

• World Customs Organization (WCO): Intergovernmental organization setting global customs standards (SAFE Framework, HS codes, AEO programs) that DGA aligns with. Functions as the standards-setting and capacity-building body for all national customs authorities including DGA.
• SIECA - Secretaría de Integración Económica Centroamericana: Regional integration secretariat that coordinates Central American customs union, the PDCC Digital Trade Platform, and unified customs criteria. DGA is a core member; SIECA functions as the umbrella under which DGA's bilateral integrations operate.

Direct peers

• SAT - Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria (Guatemala): Guatemala's tax and customs administration, operating coordinated border management with DGA at Las Chinamas, Anguiatúa, and San Cristóbal. Equivalent Central American customs authority with similar scope, systems (SIDUNEA-based), and modernization trajectory.
• Servicio de Administración de Rentas (Honduras - SAR): Honduran tax and customs authority coordinating the El Amatillo border crossing with DGA under the Declaración Anticipada de Mercancías system. Direct regional peer operating shared SIDUNEA infrastructure and joint customs procedures.
• Servicio Nacional de Aduanas de Costa Rica: Costa Rican customs authority partnering with DGA on the La Unión–Caldera ferry route (cut from 5 days to 18 hours, 8 procedures to 2). Operates shared maritime customs and is part of the same Central American Customs Committee under SIECA.

Regional players

• Aduana Nacional de Panamá (ANAM): Panamanian customs authority coordinating with DGA via SIECA and the Central American Customs Committee. Operates adjacent regional customs with overlapping modernization profile (digital platforms, risk management) but with a distinct maritime-trade-heavy mix.
• Servicio Nacional de Aduanas (Chile): Chilean customs authority operating modernized digital customs platforms and Authorized Economic Operator (OEA) programs in Latin America. Shares the same modernization trajectory (digital declarations, risk management) but does not directly compete regionally with DGA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aduanas_sv
• Facebookfacebook.com/aduanaSV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/direcci-n-general-de-aduanas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Directorate General of Customs