ZIMRA intensifies Anti-Smuggling Campaign

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has intensified its measures to curb the rampant smuggling which has had a gross effect on the nation’s economic development for the past years.

Measures that the Authority has put in place include border patrols, road blocks, site visits, post importation audits, scanners, physical searches, whistle-blowers’ initiatives, and cargo monitoring. Under the whistleblowers’ initiative, any individual who provides specific information which results in the recovery of revenue is entitled to 10% of the recovered amount.

In 2009, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority introduced patrol vehicles which will go along way in facilitating cargo monitoring and thwarting transit fraud.

ZIMRA is also working tirelessly to disseminate information to the public through various channels notably the weekly column, ‘Did You Know’, which is published in the public media.

Commonly smuggled goods include bales of clothing, footwear, tobacco and cigarettes, skin lightening creams (banned products), blankets, hair and skin preparations, groceries and motor vehicles spares and electrical gadgets, among others.

In his 2010 National Budget Statement, the Minister of Finance, Honourable Tendai Biti proposed stiffer penalties for economic crimes like corruption and smuggling.