Border patrols intensified | Business Times

MOSES MATENGA /NATHAN GUMA

Police in Zimbabwe and South Africa have intensified patrols as they fight cigarette and other commodities smuggling that have been on a decline in the last few weeks.

Following an investigation by the Zimbabwe Investigative Journalists Network in conjunction with Business Times, the government, police and other stakeholders have upped their game in fighting smuggling including the movement of cigarettes that has prejudiced South Africa and Zimbabwe of millions of dollars in potential revenue.

Cigarette smuggling, officials said, has also become a national security threat.

Due to the intensification of patrols at the borders, last week, police in Beitbridge arrested an MNH truck driver, in connection with unlawful possession of smuggled substances that also included cigarettes.

After publication of the ZIJN investigation recently, authorities raised issues vowing to effectively deal with the scourge.

Business lobby group, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) urged government to destroy all illicit goods especially cigarettes on the spot in an effort to improve accountability and transparency   and generate income from under-reported exports.

Christopher Mugaga, CEO of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), told Business Times that the measures aided in the destruction policy for seized illicit products as well as the monitoring of cigarette production.

“Regarding the destruction policy, we fully support and urge the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion to follow through with its promise to draft and issue a Destruction Policy for illicit goods. The conclusion of this policy is essential in enabling Zimbabwe Revenue Authority [ZIMRA] to destroy all confiscated illicit cigarettes, thus ensuring illicit goods do not find their way back into the market.”

Anti-corruption activist and Tax Justice South Africa’s Yusuf Abramjee said despite the heavy presence of state security agents from both Zimbabwe and South Africa, smuggling of cigarettes remains rampant, an indication of “well-organised” criminality.

“South Africa now has the world’s largest and most sophisticated cigarette smuggling network, with illicit accounts accounting for approximately 70% of the total cigarette sales nationwide,” Abramjee told ZIJN.

“While authorities have upped their efforts to combat the smuggling of cigarettes from Zimbabwe into South Africa the reality is that millions of illicit cigarettes continue to make their way into the country.

Anti-corruption activist and Tax Justice South Africa’s Yusuf Abramjee said despite the heavy presence of state security agents from both Zimbabwe and South Africa, smuggling of cigarettes remains rampant, an indication of “well-organised” criminality.

 

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