This is the 8722nd most frequent Portuguese word.
alfândega
Customs; a government authority responsible for regulating goods entering or leaving a country.
In this sentence, 'alfândega' refers to customs, the place where goods and people are inspected when entering a country.
Eu passei pela alfândega ao chegar no aeroporto.
I went through customs upon arriving at the airport.
In this sentence, 'alfândega' denotes the organization and its personnel responsible for customs inspection.
Ela trabalha na alfândega, verificando documentos e cargas.
She works at customs, checking documents and cargo.
Here, 'alfândega' represents the customs entity concerning its regulations and fees.