The South African Revenue Service (SARS) in Durban has uncovered customs fraud with three large import shipments.
In one case, the an importer brought 20 containers full of sugar into the country. Hoping to escape paying customs duties on the sugar, the company said that the containers were filled with rice, which is duty free. The fraud was uncovered by the SARS Illicit Trade Unit (ITU).
In another incident, a "known" tyre company declared that it was importing wheel rims, which do not attract any duties. Instead, their containers were found to contain tyres, which attracts 30% duty, an environment levy and require permits.
In a third incident, the ITU team in Gauteng received information about 21 containers imported by several importers.
The companies declared that they were importing steel pipes, furniture, toys, and articles of plastics.
But out of the 21 containers, 18 were found to contain fabric used to manufacture blankets as well as blanket-making machinery and possible counterfeit goods.
SARS will be pursuing potential criminal charges in all cases for false and misleading declarations.
"SARS is improving its capability and capacity to detect non-compliant behaviour, and will continue to make it hard and costly for those that have opted to resort to criminality," said SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter in a statement. "Those who voluntarily engages in criminality would have to accept the consequences of their choices."