Zimra sets up electronic cargo tracking system

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) on Friday put into operation the electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS), introduced as a pilot project in 2017, as it moves to plug revenue leakages through smuggling of commodities.

Speaking at the handover of the system from the department of Revenue Assurance to that of Customs and Excise, Zimra commissioner general Faith Mazani said the ECTS had yielded positive results as it reduced smuggling of fuel while increasing revenue collected through excise duty of the commodity.

“ECTS has yielded positive results, which have been felt in the market, notably the four trucks intercepted at Chirundu border post after it was discovered that they had tempered with the seals and replaced the fuel they were carrying with water. The trucks were seized and the offender was prosecuted.

“We have also had other achievements, which saw fuel withdrawal from NOIC purported to be for export reduced greatly after the introduction of electronic sealing. In 2016, a total of 2 320 trucks withdrew fuel for export from NOIC, the figure reduced to 942 in 2017 and further went down to 162 in 2018,” she said.

Mazani said the importation of fuel, which had increased through Kazungula border post, abruptly stopped when electronic sealing was extended to that port of entry, pointing to smuggling syndicates that had been using it.