ZRA UNEARTHS MOTOR VEHICLE IDENTITY SCAM
By Patricia Male
The Zambia Revenue Authority -ZRA- has unearthed a motor vehicle identity scam in which perpetrators use registration numbers of other motor vehicles to smuggle vehicles into the country.
ZRA corporate communications manager Oliver Nzala has disclosed that in a recent development related to the ongoing investigation, a vehicle previously belonging to the 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.
Mr. Nzala says 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.
He says the estimated revenue loss from this smuggling act is K97,700 and the vehicle in question has since been detained by the authority, and extensive investigations are underway to uncover individuals responsible for this fraudulent activity.
Mr. Nzala says this incident underscores the sophisticated nature of the fraud being perpetrated and the lengths to which individuals will go to circumvent legal and regulatory frameworks.
PHOENIX NEWS