Mmegi

Zim man caught with millions worth of undeclared goods

Lesedi Mkhutshwa Correspondent

FRANCISTOWN: Kazungula Police Station commander, Superintendent Phetogo Phillimon has said that they have arrested a 36-year-old Zimbabwean man for failing to declare commodities worth millions of pula.

Phillimon said the man was arrested after they received a tip-off from Zimbabwean authorities about a Zimbabwean in transit to Johannesburg, South Africa suspected to be carrying tobacco without an export permit, copper and lithium.

He said they stopped the truck which was driven by the 36-year-old man at the Kazungula road border.

He further said that according to the papers of the concealment, the suspect was carrying zinc waste cans weighing 32,500kgs valued at R2,350 from a company based in Nola, Zambia.

He further said the first container which is 12 metres long was opened and had 1,105 boxes each containing 50 cartons of Remington Gold cigarettes.

The estimated custom duty price per box is P12,000 which translates to P13,260,000.

Phillimon stated that the second container, which is six metres long, contained 400 Chelsea White boxes valued at P12,000 and 1,550 Remington Gold boxes with a custom duty price of P12,000.

He said the boxes of cigarettes had a total value of customs duty of P13,265,340.

“The driver declared that he was carrying zinc waste cans and upon searching his truck no such items were found, it was a false declaration. The matter has been referred to Botswana Unified Revenue Service. The horse truck and its trailers have been seized and will be forfeited to the State,” said the Kazungula station commander. Furthermore, the estimated value of the goods is $387,500 which is equivalent to P5,313,698.

NEWS

en-bw

2023-06-05T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-05T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://enews.mmegi.bw/article/281582360020689

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