THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has uncovered a concerning scam involving the illegal use of vehicle registration numbers to smuggle cars into the country.

In a statement by ZRA corporate communication manager Oliver Nzala, the authority revealed that perpetrators were using registration numbers of other motor vehicles to smuggle vehicles into the country.

This allows them to avoid paying import duties and registering the car legitimately.

“In a recent development related to the ongoing investigation, a vehicle previously belonging to the Zambia Revenue Authority, which was involved in an accident and subsequently written off by the insurance company, has had its registration details illicitly used for another vehicle,” disclosed Nzala.

“The new vehicle was not duly cleared, and no duties were paid for its registration, constituting a serious violation of national laws and regulations under the Customs and Excise Act.”

Nzala said the estimated revenue loss from this smuggling act was K 97,700.

He said the authority were actively collaborating with the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), Zambia Police Service, and other stakeholders to address this issue.

By Moses Makwaya
Kalemba February 19, 2024
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