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ILLEGAL IMPORTS SEIZED | | Concern was raised by customs officials, regarding a Botswana importer who had several consignments that had landed at Durban docks, and had then been removed in bond to Botswana. The advantage for criminals of this type of fraud, which allows for the goods to end up in the local market place, is that there will be no duty or VAT payable on the consignment in South Africa.
|  | OF&A was called in to conduct surveillance on the next container arriving in Durban for the Botswana importer. The consignment was followed for four days, during which time various stops were made. Several different transporters were also involved by the time it actually left for Botswana. | | A wharehouse full of illegally imported goods. | |
| | | The OF&A investigators continued with the surveillance once in Botswana, and discovered that, immediately after the vehicle had passed through customs and presented the clearance documentation, the driver insisted that the vehicle should be weighed. The vehicle was very overloaded which meant that the consignment could not legally proceed further. There were three options available: the driver could pay a fine, unpack the entire consignment or return to South Africa. He chose the last option, for the truck to return to South Africa. After an hour, a Botswana citizen arrived with documentation allowing for the exportation of goods back to South Africa. No duties or VAT had to be paid, as the export was within the customs union. This time things did not go according to the importer's plans. The OF&A investigator followed the consignment and contacted the SAPS and Customs and Excise, who raided the premises as soon as the truck was offloaded. No customs clearing documentation was found, so the goods were confiscated. The textiles, seized at the premises, were valued at R14 million, and related to various consignments which all formed part of this scam. |
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