Zimbabwe Fills Warehouses with Seized Goods in Smuggling Fight.
The government packed its Bulawayo storage center with cars, home goods, and other items caught during holiday season raids. The items filled several buildings at the Container Depot.
Officials found stoves, fridges, drinks, and baby items during their searches. A team of groups led by trade officials caught these goods to help local businesses stay strong.
Police, bank officers, tax agents, and consumer guards work together. They stop cars and buses at border points to look for hidden goods. Many bus companies lose their loads when agents find strange items.
"We must stop these illegal acts," said Mr. Muguti, speaking at the depot. He said some towns near borders rent space to people who bring in goods without permits. The rules will treat everyone the same way, he added.
The state plans to keep all items it catches. Muguti showed rooms full of drinks worth a lot of money. Many cars sat outside, all taken from people who broke the rules.
"When people sneak things into our land, they steal from all of us," Muguti said. He stressed the past practice of small fines had ended. The state will take ownership of any goods brought in against the law.
Muguti wondered why people risk breaking the rules to bring in stoves when shops here sell them. The fight against these acts will stay strong, he said, as part of plans to make the country's business world better.
The government packed its Bulawayo storage center with cars, home goods, and other items caught during holiday season raids. The items filled several buildings at the Container Depot.
Officials found stoves, fridges, drinks, and baby items during their searches. A team of groups led by trade officials caught these goods to help local businesses stay strong.
Police, bank officers, tax agents, and consumer guards work together. They stop cars and buses at border points to look for hidden goods. Many bus companies lose their loads when agents find strange items.
"We must stop these illegal acts," said Mr. Muguti, speaking at the depot. He said some towns near borders rent space to people who bring in goods without permits. The rules will treat everyone the same way, he added.
The state plans to keep all items it catches. Muguti showed rooms full of drinks worth a lot of money. Many cars sat outside, all taken from people who broke the rules.
"When people sneak things into our land, they steal from all of us," Muguti said. He stressed the past practice of small fines had ended. The state will take ownership of any goods brought in against the law.
Muguti wondered why people risk breaking the rules to bring in stoves when shops here sell them. The fight against these acts will stay strong, he said, as part of plans to make the country's business world better.
