The Zambia Revenue Authority has detained over 53 trucks and they risk being forfeited to the state if they fail to provide true and correct documentation related to the consignments they were found transporting.
ZRA Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda says so far, 15 trucks are confirmed seizures while others are still going through the verification procedures.
Mr. Sikalinda said the Authority is currently holding goods worth K7.2 million at the Makeni yard and has noted with displeasure the habit by some sections transporters and importers to smuggled goods, undervalue goods, under declare goods and misclassified goods.
He said the Authority is currently holding ethanol that was misclassified as methanol, salaula misclassified as new clothing, alcoholic beverages, non-energy serving bulbs and some groceries such as shoe polish all deliberately misclassified to avoid paying the correct taxes.
He said it is important to note that genuine transporters and importers are strategic partners of the Zambia Revenue Authority but some sections of transporters and importers have continued to disregard the law.
Mr. Sikalinda said the Authority is never happy to detained or impound goods and vessels because this results in losses for them with the turnaround for the transporter increased hence negatively affecting the economy both at local and regional level.
He said the authority will ensure that smuggling is brought to an end at all costs to protect the Zambian economy because smuggling promotes unfair competition as it affects market prices and impacts negatively on the economy.
He said the Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda recently issued a caution that should the transporter suspect that their client has smuggled, under declared, undervalued or misclassified the goods being transported; the transporter should immediately inform the Zambia Revenue Authority.
Eish!!!!!!!!!!
These things happen with the cooperation of corrupt ZRA employees
smuggled goods, undervalue goods, under declare goods and misclassified goods.
When the Economy is bad, this is what happens! People reset and default to Survival mode! Zambia’s tax regime is also to blame! Our taxes are oppressive and punitive! It’s not that people don’t want to pay. There is no money in this Zed economy! We need to critically rethink the destiny of this country. Right now, we are precariously hanging on a cliff! Reduce your tax rates and compliance levels will improve!
People were used to sumuglling but loop holes are just being seald. You can blame ileagle activities on the economy even advanced economies such characters are there
Thieving is thieving, you cant blame it on the economy. There is thieving even in the so called developed world and so is abject poverty. Homelessness is allover except some sleep on discarded mattresses under the bridges.
2.0 Do you know why the USA, Canada, Germany, China etc have Custom &Excise departments? If you don’t know take your time to find out. There’s rampant smuggling on the USA Canadian border but these are powerful economies. You can’t give in mitigation that you broke into Shoprite because of hunger. Please find something else to say instead of such crap.
Take them to auction houses!!
ZRA must begin to advise GRZ correctly regarding the challenges they see citizens and businesses going through! Our Tax regime is the most unpredictable in the sub-region. Those who have stayed in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania will tell you how predictable tax rates are in those countries. You know even before the goods arrive how much tax you will be required to pay. This is not the case with our borders where citizen are at the mercy of Tax collectors! By nature, tax collectors don’t care as long as they are eating Mwibala! At the rate we are going, businesses will run away to other business-friendly countries with fair and predictable tax regimes! Let’s address the root causes and not the symptoms!
The rules and consequences are very clear. Its like going into the ring to fight someone and if he throws a punch at you, you complain. The ZRA are there not only to receive the moneys but also to monitor the activity accordingly. The transporter can only sue the owner of the goods in the event that he was mislead by false documentation and if he was in the know, then no need to cry.
There is a lot of paper work at the border, that is why there are lots of delays – reduce the paper work. We have encouraged thugs to operate with border officials thereby swindling business people – remove those unofficial border attendants. Even when you staying in Zambia for 2 weeks, they force you to pay insurance for 3 months – there lots of taxes that must be paid and this is done at different offices, hence creating more queues and more delays – abolish some of these unnecessary levies; they make life very difficult for the travellers and business people. Compare with other boarders, Botswana, RSA, Lesotho, Eswatini, etc. Fighting corruption must first begin at the borders, gov’t offices, the new markets, Intercity terminus, etc. and we must start in earnest. God bless Zambia!
So busy with collecting money and penalising others but the money just goes to thieves in leadership to use for hiring pf cadres to injure others and to use 4 bribing councilors to resign. No morals on zra workers to b punishig others for such purpose.
Your small god has never run governments. Government has a responsibility to ensure people follow the rules.