ZRA cracks meat smuggling scam

THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has unearthed yet another smuggling scam, barely five days after intercepting 50 trucks carrying various illegally imported items, worth K42.3 million in taxes.

The latest scam involved a transit fraud that could have cost the treasury K408, 000 in revenue loss. ZRA has since suspended the clearing licence for Federal Cargo Limited, a Zambian company, which is the clearing agent for the intercepted cargo. ZRA corporate communications manager, Topsy Sikalinda, announced at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, that the scam involved a truck carrying meat products purported to be in transit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) when in fact not. He said that part of the meat products were instead offloaded in Zambia, at Ilobezi Zambia Limited, between Mazabuka and Monze. The truck came from Botswana. Mr Sikalinda said that the smugglers offloaded 1,382 boxes of the meat in Zambia and only left 230 boxes on the truck which later proceeded to the Kasumbalesa border post. “At Kazungula, the customs officers sealed the truck with official seals as per requirement for all transit goods, but the importer opened the truck using sophisticated means by unscrewing the door panels without tempering with the seals and offloaded 1,382 boxes and only left 230 boxes on the truck," he said. Mr Sikalinda said the ZRA had therefore, issued seizure notices for both the meat and the truck. He said the commissioner general had since invoked the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act, cap 322, which empowered him to dispose all perishable goods. "We have decided to donate these goods to security wings like Zambia Army (ZA) -350 boxes, Zambia Airforce (ZAF) - 250 boxes, Zambia National Service (ZNS) - 250 boxes, Zambia Correctional Services (ZCS) - 250 boxes while the University Teaching Hospital and Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital will get 200 and 82 boxes respectively,” Mr Sikalinda said.