Regularisation of improperly cleared vehicles underway
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has appealed to individuals or companies with vehicles not properly cleared including those smuggled into the country to regularise the clearance and registration by December 15.
The vehicles will be liable to forfeiture after the expiry of the moratorium.
Said Zimra in a notice: “The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is hereby inviting the public, companies or such other entities who may be in possession of vehicles not properly cleared through Zimra, to approach their nearest Zimra Regional Office to regularise the clearance and registration of such vehicles.”
The moratorium ends after December 15 and any irregularly cleared vehicle encountered thereafter will be treated as liable to seizure and possible forfeiture in terms of the Customs and Excise Act.
Irregular cases include vehicles that could have been undervalued, smuggled, imported on temporary importation permit and where the permit was non-procedurally acquired or where a regular permit has expired and where the Temporary Importation Permit (TIP) has expired.
The vehicles could have also been cleared through a false claim to a rebate or suspension of duty or any other violation of the legislation governing the importation of vehicles.
In 2019, the Government introduced a motor vehicle rebate scheme in which civil servants who have served for 10 years and above can import vehicles without paying import duty.
The scheme has, however, been abused with several individuals and Zimra officers at border posts appearing in court for fraud and money laundering charges after allegedly using forged civil service rebate letters to import vehicles for resale.-chronice
