Business

11 of the biggest customs busts in South Africa this year

Staff Writer

 ·16 Jul 2018

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has released its latest statistics focusing on customs busts for the period 1 January until 30 June 2018.

Acting chief officer for customs and excise, Beyers Theron, congratulated his officers for their successes, but noted that there was more that customs and SARS could do to make inroads into the illicit economy.

“We need to start looking at trends and patterns and becoming more strategic in the way we are dealing with some of these risks,” he said.

He added that compared with the same period last year (January to June 2017), the number and value of busts has increased this year – with 4,122 busts valued at R1.73 billion this year, compared to 1,763 busts valued at R1.65 billion last year.

According to SARS, the total value of all goods confiscated amounts to R1.73 billion.

These busts include:

• Counterfeit clothing, footwear and other goods – 3,351 busts valued at R1.4 billion

• Narcotics – 339 busts valued at R171 million

• Currency – 13 busts valued at R53 million

• Viagra / Viagra Generics – 97 busts valued at R40 million

• Cigarettes – 159 busts valued at R33 million

• CITES – (including endangered species such as abalone): 16 busts valued at R14 million

• Clothing and Textiles (second hand and other infringements) – 20 busts valued at R5 million

• Alcohol – 117 busts valued at R196,900

Biggest busts

SARS also provided a list of some of its most high-profile busts which took place during the first six months of this year.

Unsurprisingly the street value of certain narcotics meant that the biggest busts relate to the movement of Ketamine and Methaqualone.

However some of the more interesting busts include over R30 million worth of generic viagra heading into the country form India, and R15 million in cash which was seized en route from South Africa to Dubai.

These include:

• Ketamine and Methaqualone (precursors to mandrax) with an estimated value of R32 million, en route from Kenya to South Africa, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 10 April.

• Methaqualone with an estimated value of R30 million, en route from China to South Africa, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 31 January.

• Sexual Enhancement Tablets (generic Viagra) valued at R30 million, en route from India to South Africa, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 13 May.

• Currency (USD & GBP) valued R15 million, en route from South Africa to Dubai, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 1 February.

• Abalone with an estimated value of R10 million, en route from South Africa to China, seized at Port Elizabeth Harbour on 26 January.

• Currency (ZAR & USD) valued R7 illion, en route from South Africa to Mauritius, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 4 May.

• Currency (ZAR) valued R6.3 million, en route from South Africa to Dubai, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 27 March.

• Kamagra (generic Viagra) valued at R4 million, en route from India to South Africa, seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 15 January.

• Abalone with an estimated value of R2.4 million, en route from South Africa to Sri Lanka via Dubai, seized at Durban Harbour on 21 February.

• 1.8 million Cigarettes seized at Beit Bridge Border Post on 17 April.

• 500,000 Cigarettes seized at Beit Bridge Border Post on 27 April.

Read: What to do if SARS does not pay out your tax refund