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Suspected smuggler threatens Customs Officers

Jan 16, 2009 News

Police in Berbice are expected to move against a well known smuggling suspect who reportedly sent threats to Customs Officers stationed in the Corentyne.
The threats, which were received yesterday, came in the wake of the arrest of a Customs officer with a quantity of smuggled liquor in his car.  This newspaper understands that the arrested Customs officer is a close associate of the suspected smuggler, and it is believed that he facilitated several smuggling operations.
According to a police source in the Corentyne, Customs officials have reported the threat and the suspected smuggler is reportedly being sought.
The source said that the suspect who hails from Line Path, Skeldon, reportedly told a Customs officer that he would ensure that their operations against smuggling are stopped.
“He told the Customs officer to tell his boss, ‘if he doesn’t stop with his nonsense, I will put a stop to it’,” the source related to this newspaper.  The source said that this is not the first time that they have received reports of threats to Customs officers in the Corentyne, especially by the suspect who is currently being sought.
There are reports that the suspect’s son had even assaulted a Customs officer on a previous occasion.
This newspaper understands that a new Officer-in-Charge was sent to the Corentyne area in the latter part of last year to stamp out corruption and smuggling.  Since his deployment, the officer has managed to at least restrict the volume of smuggling and his efforts led to the detention of the Customs officer with the smuggled liquor.
The Corentyne area is renowned for smuggling between this country and neighbouring Suriname.
The source explained that some smugglers will go to the Customs officials and pay duties on goods transported in one boat when in fact they are transporting the smuggled goods in several other vessels.
“Smuggling is rampant. These people have a culture. They don’t want to pay duties on the goods they are importing,” the source said.
And in an invited comment, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur said that the Customs and Trade Administration is expanding its operations countrywide to effectively deal with persons who try to defraud the country of revenue.
He said that the department is enhancing its resources by providing its enforcement arm with proper facilities to go after smugglers and other revenue cheaters.
“We are hoping that with the new re-organisation we will be able to track down those who cheat the Customs system. They will also be targeted for non compliance with income tax,” the Commissioner General said.

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