SA to go ahead with CCTV on cigarette warehouses t...

SA to go ahead with CCTV on cigarette warehouses to fight smuggling

Zim Now Writer

The lucrative business of smuggling cigarettes from Zimbabwe is set to become more challenging as South Africa is moving to watch its tobacco companies.

This comes as the North Gauteng High Court has ruled against tobacco companies who were challenging the mandatory installation of Close Circuit Televisions at their warehouses by South African Revenue Services.

South Africa has a high appetite for Zimbabwe cigarettes but a prohibitive duty and excise schedule deter against direct imports as the cigarettes would cost much more.

Interestingly the South African tobacco companies who are supposed to be facing competition from the smuggled Zimbabwean cigarettes are the ones who are resisting the move.

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/3922/beitbridge-smugglers-paradise-millions-milked-of-out-zim-into-sa-each-month

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/4922/beitbridge-smugglers-paradise-zrp-transfers-228-cops

The legal challenge against the CCTV rules is being led by the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association which represents the local makers of cigarette brands

11 tobacco companies made two separate applications against SARS implementing “Rule 19.09” promulgated under the Customs and Excise Act.

It is estimated that cigarettes worth millions of dollars are smuggled from Zimbabwe to South Africa each year with a number of raids netting large hauls of contraband.

Big companies and state agents including police and customs officials on both sides of the border have been implicated in the smuggling racket.