. Chanda

By CHUSA SICHONE –
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) says it has stopped auctioning seized smuggled goods but it will instead donate them to Government agencies.
The Authority demonstrated that by making its maiden donation of 20 motor vehicles and two motorbikes to the Zambia Police Service in Lusaka yesterday which were part of the  32 vehicles, with the rest given to the Immigration Department and hospitals in border areas.
ZRA commissioner general Kingsley Chanda said at the handover ceremony that in the past, the Authority opted to auction forfeited goods using a private company but discovered that the goods ended being sold to the smugglers.
“So we thought the best way to teach our smugglers a lesson is to give these seized items to Government agencies especially the police because I know a smuggler will not come and grab a vehicle from you,” he said.
Mr Chanda said the Authority was sending a strong message to the smugglers that days of auctioning seized smuggled goods were over as they were not dealing with the usual ZRA and customs.
He said ZRA decided to make the first donation to the Zambia Police Service owing to the cordial working relationship that existed between the two institutions and in recognition of the important role the police played in society.
Receiving the donation, Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja said the donated vehicles and motorbikes would go a long way in alleviating the transport challenges the service was facing.
Mr Kanganja said ZRA’s commendable donation would help towards improving the police’s capacity to adequately respond to various emergencies thereby ensuring that all forms of crime were fought to create a safe and secure country owing to adequate and reliable transport.
He said consideration in deploying the vehicles would be given to border areas where the Zambia Police Service had fostered strategic work relationship with ZRA in combating crimes such as smuggling, which was denying the country the much needed resources.