• The truck was loaded in South Africa with 40 containers of ethanol.
• It crossed into Zimbabwe using Beit Bridge.
• The driver used Mozambique and entered Zambia through Chanida border post.
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has intercepted 40, 000 liters of smuggled ethanol worth K1.2 million in taxes.
Authority Corporate Communications Manager Oliver Nzala revealed that the impounded truck was loaded in South Africa with 40 containers of ethanol that are1, 000 litres each.
Mr. Nzala explained that the driver of the truck crossed into Zimbabwe using Beit Bridge and in trying to smuggle the ethanol, he entered Zambia through Chanida border post in Eastern province, using Mozambique.
“Just last month we did announce to the public that we had seized over 100, 000 litres of ethanol and in this case again we have another truck with 40 containers and these are containers that are 1, 000 litres each so we are talking about 40, 000 liters of ethanol. This truck was loaded in South Africa with the 40 containers of ethanol, crossed into Zimbabwe using Beit Bridge, and then the driver in trying to smuggle in this ethanol, uses Mozambique and enters Zambia through Chanida border post.”
“One thing that the public will be reminded of is that we have invested so much into other technological equipment such as drones to just scan the areas in which we are operating, and that’s how we managed to pick this truck and intercepted it,” Mr. Nzala said.
He said that on the sides of the containers, there were stickers indicating that the content was chemical fertilizer when in fact not.
“All the containers have labels on top to show that this is ethanol and I think it’s about 96.2 percent ethanol. Fertilizer doesn’t attract any duties, so had we not intercepted this truck, ZRA was going to lose more than K750, 000 so this truck only about K715,” he said.
Mr. Nzala reaffirmed the need for taxpayers to pay their taxes and remain compliant with tax laws to avoid punitive enforcement measures.
Last month, ZRA intercepted 100,000 litres of Ethanol in Mpika, worth K2.6 million in taxes.
The trucks entered Zambia through Nakonde and the ethanol was declared as transits to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Mokambo border when the goods were destined for Zambia.
In order to import excisable goods such as ethanol into Zambia, importers are required to pay customs duty for importation of goods. The customs duty depends on the kind of goods being imported.
