Truck driver fined for attempting to smuggle cigarettes

A 38-YEAR-OLD Harare truck driver was on Friday fined $2 000 or 10 months in jail for attempting to smuggle a consignment of 197 boxes of cigarettes worth $29 550 out of the country through Beitbridge Border Post. Stan Ranjisi of Zengeza Extension Three and employed by Fruitstone Investments of Harare as a driver, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening section 174(1) of the Customs and Excise Act (making a false declaration) by Beitbridge provincial resident magistrate Ms Gloria Takundwa.

The cigarettes were also forfeited to the State as part of the sentence. The prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Mberesi, said on 27 July, Ranjisi arrived at Beitbridge Border Post driving a haulage truck which had a trailer loaded with boxes of cigarettes branded Pacific. The truck was coming from Harare and heading to South Africa. The court heard that on completing customs formalities, Ranjisi did not declare the consignment which he was carrying.

However, as part of the customs procedures, the truck was taken to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) checkpoint for a scan leading to the discovery of the 197 boxes of cigarettes. Ranjisi failed to produce a declaration form stating that he was carrying cigarettes and he was arrested. The contraband was subsequently seized by Zimra and taken to the customs warehouse.

The State stood to lose $22 655 in potential revenue.