By OLIVER SAMBOKO
OVER K1 million worth of cooking oil will be donated to Government institutions, defence forces and charitable organisations, ZRA Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda disclosed yesterday.
Mr Sikalinda said in a statement that the cooking oil was intercepted at Chirundu Border post last Tuesday.
He said the cooking oil was intercepted by officers after an attempt to smuggle it into the country using fake import permits.
Mr Sikalinda said cooking oil is a controlled product that requires import permits to be issued by the Ministry of Agriculture before importation can be done.
He also desclosed that, the ZRA would release the trucks used back to the transporter because it was satisfied he had no part in the illegal activity by the agent and the importer.
Meanwhile, Mr Sikalinda encouraged other transporters to report smuggling activities to the ZRA.
“We want to send a very strong message to all intending smugglers that we are more than equal to the task and we will come for you, your goods and the vessels you intend to use,” he said.
Mr Sikalinda also stressed that the ZRA was not going to tolerate any form of illegality in tax collection as this robs the country of the much needed revenue which otherwise can be used for funding development programmes.
