Criminals are using warehouses to avoid heavy import duties on liquor and
cigarettes
Anna Cox
THE SOUTH African Revenue Services is to launch a blitz on warehouses throughout the country to stop the illegal import and export of goods.
This results from the alleged abuse of warehouses by certain industries, namely the clothing and textile, electronic, liquor and tobacco industries which try to avoid paying excise duties.
The SARS said criminals were making great profits by using warehouses to avoid paying the recently-imposed heavy import duties on liquor and cigarettes.
Their modus operandi is to declare imported goods to be in transit for export and then distribute them locally. Alternatively they claim to have removed
the imported goods which are merely shifted between warehouses and then replenished with other imported stock. It is illegal to move goods between warehouses.
There are an estimated 4 000 bonded warehouses under
private management throughout the country where goods are sorted while clearance papers are being processed.
The SARS has said it will show no tolerance to operators of warehouses which breach the law.
Copyright Now Media (Pty) Ltd
No article may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor
To respond to this article send your email to joyo@nowmedia.co.za
