Zimra sets major Beitbridge customs auction

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is set to conduct a major customs auction at Beitbridge Border Post from June 24 to 26, offering dozens of vehicles and a wide range of imported goods seized or forfeited through customs processes.

According to an auction notice released jointly by Zimra and ABC Auctions, the sale will be conducted online through the ABC Auctions bidding platform and mobile application.

The auction is expected to feature between 35 and 40 vehicles, alongside more than 50 lots of assorted merchandise.

Vehicles listed for sale include popular models such as the Toyota Hilux, Nissan Hardbody, Toyota Hiace, Mitsubishi trucks, Mazda Demio, Hyundai Elantra, Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a Volkswagen Tiguan.

Several accident-damaged vehicles, trailers and scrap vehicles will also be auctioned.

Beyond motor vehicles, bidders will have an opportunity to purchase a variety of goods including chrome concentrate, PVC pipes, speakers, microwaves, television wall mounts, exercise books, toiletries, clothing and footwear.

The auction catalogue also includes premium liquor products such as Hennessy VSOP, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Jägermeister, Gordon's Gin, Ballantine's whisky and various wine brands.

Auction organisers said payment requirements will vary depending on the category of goods purchased.

"Where payment is required for an item in USD, the buyer must settle in USD. Where an item is payable in ZiG, payment shall be made in line with Zimra regulations," the notice stated.

Prospective bidders are required to register through the ABC Auctions mobile application, which is available on both Android and Apple platforms.

Zimra also advised bidders intending to purchase high-value lots that they may increase their spending limits by lodging a surety deposit exceeding 10 percent of their anticipated expenditure.

Auction organisers cautioned that all lots remain subject to adjustment, withdrawal or addition at Zimra's discretion.

The sale follows another successful customs auction held at Beitbridge last month, during which more than 20 vehicles and numerous confiscated goods were sold.

The latest auction comes amid ongoing debate over Zimra's intensified anti-smuggling operations, particularly along the Beitbridge-Gwanda and Bulawayo-Plumtree highways, where inland checkpoints have resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of undeclared goods.

The checkpoints have attracted criticism from some motorists and legislators, who have questioned their legal basis and operational procedures.

However, Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Kudakwashe Mnangagwa recently defended the practice in Parliament.

Responding to concerns raised by Senator Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa, Mnangagwa said Zimra's powers are derived from both the Revenue Authority Act and the Customs and Excise Act.

He cited Section 15 of the Customs and Excise Act, which empowers the Commissioner of Customs to establish customs barriers on roads and transport routes for the control of imports and exports.

According to the deputy minister, the inland checkpoints were introduced in response to increasing incidents of smuggling through unofficial crossing points near the border.

He said authorities had recorded numerous seizures since the programme was introduced in late 2024 and noted that the checkpoints also involve security personnel for broader national security considerations.

"These searches are based on risk management to select which traffic to stop and search. Not all vehicles are stopped and, where they are, searches are conducted with passenger co-operation to avoid unnecessary delays," Mnangagwa told Parliament.

Meanwhile, ABC Auctions has announced additional rummage sales scheduled for Harare, Victoria Falls and Beitbridge between July 3 and July 31, offering further opportunities for buyers seeking vehicles, machinery and assorted goods.