ZRA seizes K1.4m worth of sugar

ABOUT 3, 360 bags of sugar worth K1.4 million have been seized in the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) operation in Chingola.

The ZRA cracked down an attempted smuggling-transit fraud of sugar packed in 50kg bags, offloaded in the mining town on the Copperbelt.

According to ZRA, the sugar was imported from Brazil and was reported to be going to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The sugar was offloaded at a warehouse on plot number 1846, Lulamba Road, instead of proceeding to the DRC.

ZRA Commissioner General, Kingsley Chanda, said that the five South African registered trucks that were involved in the transit fraud had already exited the country at the time information was given.

"We are however on guard and we can assure you that we will seize the trucks and forfeit them to the state once found in the country," he said.

Mr Chanda warned that ZRA would not tolerate any form of smuggling as it was counterproductive to economic growth.

He explained that smuggling was a serious offence and a security risk to the country because authorities would not know what was usually brought in.

Mr Chanda said it was unfortunate that despite Government spending huge sums of money on sensitization programmes, people had continued with the illegal trend.

And ZRA Commissioner Customs, Sydney Chibbabbuka, said that officers would continue with enforcement activities across the country to lessen transit fraud.