The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) will soon introduce
sniffer dogs to tackle smuggling activities at the country’s border posts amid
an outcry over rampant corruption by its officials.
Speaking yesterday during the 2020 International Customs
day commemorations in Bulawayo, Zimra board member, Morris Mpofu said: “As you
may appreciate, Zimra has been instrumental in facilitating trade and travel
and introduced a considerable number of initiatives to curb drug smuggling and
other harmful products through our ports of entry.
“Some of these systems include setting up of anti-smuggling
units at all ports of entry. Non-intrusive equipment such as scanners where
both commercial and private goods go through at importation, use of sniffer
dogs that are trained to use their senses to detect substances such as
explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband
electronics such as illicit mobile phones.”
Mpofu said Zimra will train its officers on how to apply
anti-smuggling and other border control techniques, adding that they will also
use the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO).
He said they will collaborate with other intelligence
offices for information so that Zimra utilises the distribution of alerts on
irregular importation of goods.
Mpofu said the day is celebrated on January 26 annually
under the auspices of the World Customs Organisation to, among other things,
appreciate the role of Customs administrations and their stakeholders in
promoting trade, travel and economic development in general.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Affairs minister, Judith Ncube urged
Zimra officials to shun corruption saying they were not exempt from the
problem.
“I would like Zimra to be cognisant that its members of
staff have to serve clients quickly and professionally, without creating
artificial bottlenecks so (that they) ask for bribes,’’ Ncube said. Newsday
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