ZRA Unearths K 1 million Fuel Smuggling Scam

The Zambia Revenue Authority ( ZRA) has unearthed another fuel smuggling scam worth over 1 million Kwacha.

This is another cartel of TPIN abuse were two fuel tankers carrying more than 80, 000 litres of fuel were fraudulently declared under a different importer with intent to defraud the state of the tax revenue.

ZRA commissioner for customs, Sydney Chibbabbuka has disclosed in a media statement that the two trucks were intercepted in Chirundu and escorted to Lusaka for further investigations.

He said the investigations also led the authority to investigate the activities of seven other companies in the country whose import declarations are questionable.

“We are very active on these cases and the nation shall soon be informed of the outcome.In the meantime, these two trucks have been seized and the fuel will be disposed off in accordance with the provisions of Section 162(10) and Section 204 of the Customs and Excise Act, Chapter 322 of the Laws of Zambia,” he said.

He added that since the disposal order has already been obtained from the courts, the authority will today donate the fuel to the various security wings.

“Among them are the Zambia Correctional Services, the Zambia Army, Zambia Airforce, the Zambia National Service and Zambia Police,” Mr Chibbabbuka said.

He said abuse of TPIN is a serious offence and this is why ZRA has developed the Clearing Agents Management Module (CAMM) on ASYCUDAWorld system that aims at plugging off TPIN abuse by unscrupulous individuals.

Mr Chibbabbuka further said the authority has repositioned itself during the festive season on all routes.

He has advised importers and exporters to desist from all forms of smuggling such as transit fraud, under declarations, under-valuations, misclassifications and TPIN abuse.

This article originally appeared on Mwebantu.