Durban clearing agent faces Customs fraud charges

FOLLOWING INVESTIGATIONS by Customs
and Excise personnel and
the South African Police Commercial Branch, the owner of Durban clearing and forwarding agent, Jofreight Shipping Services, and his daughter were arrested last week on charges of defrauding the state of R12 million worth of VAT and excise duties.
The company had been under investigation for several weeks prior to the arrest, which resulted in a night in the police cells for Roy Joshua and his daughter Leandra (who works in the office) before their appearance in court the next morning, where they were remanded for trial. It was alleged that the c&f agent received monies for duty and VAT from a client, a national dairy company, but had not paid this over.