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Big profits for smuggled alcohol, chicken from Suriname
Alcohol smuggling appears to be one of the biggest problems on the Suriname border, a senior Customs official has said.
Some of the smuggled chicken from Suriname seized by officials last year.
In recent times, law enforcement workers managed to seize liquor which nearly evaded almost $23M in taxes.
Deputy Commissioner of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA’s) Law Enforcement Programme, Karen Chapman, made the disclosure last week during an address to a Guyana/Suriname Trade Conference which was held at the Guyana International Convention Centre, Liliendaal.
In the patrols were GRA’s Law Enforcement Investigation Division (LEID) officers and members of the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS).
After alcohol was the chicken. Large quantities of chicken, with taxes amounting to $11M, were intercepted.
Recently also, firecrackers, with taxes amounting to some $800,000, were also seized. The list would even include motor vehicles.
With the open borders, it has long been known that a significant quantity of goods come over the Corentyne River into Guyana, but not declared.
According to Ms. Chapman, water patrols, utilizing GRA’s motor vessels, have resulted also in seizure of motor vessels and drums of fuel.
According to GRA yesterday in a statement, customs officials in Guyana and their counterparts in neighbouring Suriname are committed to ongoing engagements aimed at strengthening the border laws and regulations of both countries while maintaining good trade relations.
“Over the years this engagement has been fruitful with border control mechanisms to stop contraband and other crimes of a transnational nature. Both countries for example have established port control units to control inbound and outgoing containers by improving real time exchange and analysis of information. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).”
Chapman said that a draft agreement regarding the Mutual Administrative Assistance for the Prevention, Investigation, Detection, and Suppression of Customs Offences was prepared and is currently being actively reviewed by the Legal Division of the GRA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This initiative is a follow up from a visit paid by the Heads of the Security Forces, including the GRA, led by the Chairman of the Task Force on fuel smuggling and contraband and Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, to their counterparts back in late 2013. The Maritime Administration Department is also involved in finalising the agreement with regard to the Mutual Administrative Assistance.
“Meetings were held in Suriname with senior officials of the Surinamese Customs and Excise Department. Out of those, Ms. Chapman said were recommendations for the mandatory reporting by boat owners to Customs at Corriverton and Nickerie, to obtain valid Customs clearance prior to departure.
The daily exchange of information electronically with regard to movement of vessels also formed part of the recommendation.
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