Zimra commits US$2,4 million to anti-smuggling equipment

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has committed a total of US$2,4 million on the acquisition of hit-tech equipment to enhance security at the country's ports of entry to curb crimes such as smuggling and corruption.

The country is losing millions of dollars to smuggling syndicates.

The revenue collector is also boosting its mobile cargo scanning hardware at busy borders including Beitbridge.

Zimra's Corporate Affairs Executive, Mr Gladman Njanji yesterday said the organisation is spearheading a Government project involving the acquisition of a drone surveillance system to curb smuggling activities at major border posts.

"The hardware for the system which includes drones and associated equipment will be acquired at a cost of US$2,4 million to cover all the major border posts and the borderline, said Mr Njanji.

"The drones project will be implemented by Zimra together with other law enforcement agents and stakeholders that are responsible for the security of the border posts and the borderline."

He said the use of drones will result in increased revenue inflows and improvement in compliance levels.

Through the programme, Mr Njanji said they were looking at boosting day and night surveillance and reconnaissance to gather information and intelligence on criminal activities.

He added that in the long term, the initiative will reduce illicit trade and use of illegal crossing points.

"We are not relenting in our quest to increase border security and building capacity on our ability to operate in all terrain and under extreme weather conditions," said Mr Njanji.

He said a raft of measures are also being implemented countrywide with a view of reducing corruption and illegal trading activities.

"We want to enhance transparency and accountability. In addition, there is a strong need for the creation of a fair and level playing field for the business sector by stopping and suffocating syndicates," he added.

Mr Njanji said in some instances the local industry was being affected by the flooding of markets with smuggled products, hence the Government was moving to restore sanity.

He said they were also concerned with people being exposed to undesirable and harmful products, which in some instances are related to increased drug abuse.

During a recent visit to Beitbridge with the national security working group, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the tightening of security along the country's border with South Africa had helped to build Zimra's capacity to collect more revenue from imports and exports done through the Beitbridge Border Post.

She said more patrol vehicles, material and human resources were gradually being dispatched.

Zimra's Commissioner for Customs and Excise, Mr Batsirai Chadzingwa said recently that the separation of traffic, automation of the border and upgrading of security was paying dividends.

He said they were making use of sniffer dogs, baggage scanners mobile cargo scanners to detect contrabands.

Mr Chadzingwa said they were scanning 33 percent of imports and 43 percent of exports through the Beitbridge Border Post.