Most products, including maize, wine, sugar, and fruit juices, were destined for Africa.

The operation formed part of intensified border patrols and intelligence-led interventions.

The country’s ports and bonded warehouses are key to enabling illicit trade flows of drugs, arms and counterfeit goods.

The BMA has said it’s doing whatever it can to assist trade facilitation at the transit.

The market holds potential for growth in orange exports now that punitive duties have been removed.

Drones are being deployed across Africa to monitor border crossings and crack down on smuggling syndicates.

The line’s newbuild order book reflects broader trends across the container shipping sector.

The summit aims to advance a responsive trade and investment agenda.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre described the event as possible “state activity”.

Non-tariff barriers, weak border systems and poor infrastructure remain the real obstacles to Africa’s trade growth.

Various borders from South Africa into Zimbabwe and Botswana are beginning to bottleneck.