The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have launched a concerted effort to crack down on the rampant smuggling of goods and illicit substances into the country.
While ZIMRA highlights the ongoing challenge of smuggling despite existing measures, the ZRP is intensifying its efforts to intercept smugglers at border crossings and along major highways.
ZIMRA’s head of corporate communications, Francis Chimanda, acknowledged the persistence of smuggling activities.
“Yes, people still resort to smuggling as noted from encounters in enforcement activities conducted by ZIMRA and other law enforcement agents,” Chimanda told NewsDay.
He explained the various motivations behind smuggling, stating, “The motives for smuggling vary from person to person, but in general, people smuggle goods to evade controls and payment of duty at entry points as well as to avoid paying inland taxes when they sell smuggled commercial goods.”
Despite a traveller’s rebate of duty, allowing individuals to import goods up to US$200 per month duty-free, smuggling remains a significant problem. Chimanda clarified the details of this allowance.
“A duty-free allowance for travellers is technically referred to as a traveller’s rebate of duty. This rebate is allowed and not charged, enabling the traveller to import the allowed goods free of duty, currently, a traveller is allowed to import non-commercial goods up to a value not exceeding US$200 once a month,” said Chimanda.
The illegal importation of goods significantly impacts Zimbabwe’s revenue base. ZIMRA collects crucial revenue, including customs duty, excise duty, and import value-added tax at border posts. While non-commercial goods imported by private individuals face lower duties (ranging from 5% for books to 110% for certain alcoholic beverages), the scale of illegal imports remains a serious concern.
Chimanda detailed the duty structure: “Non-commercial goods imported by private importers are charged duty at flat rates of assessments on their value or quantities, in the case of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and clothing, including footwear. The rates range from 5% for books to 110% for some alcoholic beverages. Some rates are a flat monetary amount per quantity of goods, while others are a combination, that is a percentage of the value plus a flat monetary amount.”
Meanwhile, the ZRP is actively targeting smugglers, particularly those using buses to transport illicit goods. Recent operations have focused on bus crews and passengers involved in smuggling drugs, primarily mbanje (cannabis). National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi recently announced the ongoing “No to Border Crimes” operation, stating, “On September 27, 2024, members of the police deployed on operation, ‘No to Cross Border Crimes,’ in Beitbridge acted on received information and arrested Melusi Ngwenya aged 26 at Dulibadzimu Bus terminus for illegal possession of 16 kilogrammes of mbanje. The mbanje was stashed under packets of chicken cuts inside a cardboard box.”
Further highlighting the scale of the problem, Commissioner Nyathi detailed another recent seizure: “Meanwhile, on September 29, 2024 at around 0315 hours, police in Featherstone intercepted a Nissan Note vehicle, registration number AGQ 2446, at a security checkpoint at the 103-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Road and arrested the driver, Tinashe Muronzi (37) and passenger, Anacleter Sibanda (33) for unlawful possession of six plastic bags of mbanje.”
A significant bust last week in Masvingo involved the arrest of two bus crew members and two passengers after 62kg of mbanje was discovered. Police found the drugs hidden in various locations on the bus.
The combined efforts of ZIMRA and the ZRP signal a determined approach to curb smuggling. The increased use of technology by Customs and Excise, such as drones, along with intensified stop-and-search operations by the police, indicate a multi-pronged strategy to tackle this persistent problem.
