MRA intercepts a vehicle loaded with smuggled cosmetics and mesh

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) on the Monday night, 16th May, 2016 impounded a motor vehicle suspected of conveying smuggled goods valued at MK1, 406,500. The smuggled items included cosmetics and mesh and were smuggled into the country from Tanzania through Chama in Zambia.

The motor vehicle, Toyota Hilux registration number MZ 6306 belonging to Mr Humphrey Munthali was parked at a house in Mzimba for some days without offloading and upon being tipped MRA Flexible Anti-Smuggling Team (FAST) impounded the motor vehicle and the smuggled goods. The motor vehicle and the goods are being kept at MRA premises in Mzuzu pending conclusion of the case.

The offence of smuggling attracts a minimum fine of 30% of the value of the smuggled goods and a maximum of ten times the value of the smuggled goods or three years imprisonment with hard labour. The owner of the motor vehicle has also been charged on an offence of conveyance facilitating smuggled items and will pay a penalty of MK305, 350.11.

In the same night, MRA FAST apprehended two men identified as Yolamu Mtambo aged 34 of Katutula Village, T/A Mwaulambya, Chitipa District and Akim Mishani aged 25 years from the same village near Chikangawa who had 28 bales of mosquito nets. The men were waiting for a motor vehicle to ferry their bales and when MRA confronted them, they lied that the bales contained plastic bags but upon inspection, it was discovered that the bales contained mosquito nets which the Government of Malawi is distributing for free to its citizens in the fight against malaria. The two men have since been handed over to police at Chikangawa Road block for further investigation.

Besides revenue collection, the Authority has a key role in counteracting tax fraud and other forms of fiscal evasion and protecting citizens from dangerous and harmful goods imported into the country.

MRA is, therefore, appealing to the general public to report anybody who is smuggling or being involved in any form of tax evasion by dialing our Deloitte Tip Offs Anonymous Service toll free number 847 for Airtel, TNM and ACCESS subscribers and for MTL dial 80000847.