12 July 2015 – Record amount of undeclared sneakers seized at Lebombo
Pretoria, 12 July 2015 – Customs officials confiscated undeclared sneakers with an estimated street value of R11.3 million at the Lebombo border post on Thursday, 9 July 2015. This is the largest bust, with the highest value ever seized at the Lebombo border post. Approximately 14 167 pairs of branded sneakers, potentially counterfeit, destined for the […]
17 July 2015 – SARS convenes cross-border forum on illicit financial flows
Pretoria, 17 July 2015 – The South African Revenue Services (SARS) has convened a forum of commissioners from bordering countries, including Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa to deliberate on core tax and customs issues, and focus areas linked to illicit financial flows, base erosion and profit sharing, transfer pricing and cross-border enforcement, to […]
20 July 2015 – Massive busts of Viagra, Mandrax and Cocaine by SARS Customs
Pretoria, 20 July 2015 – In just under one week, SARS Customs has uncovered massive amounts of Viagra, Mandrax and Cocaine in four separate busts with an estimated total value of R48.8 million. Last night (19 July 2015), a member of the Lebombo detector dog unit discovered R3 million worth of Mandrax hidden in a truck […]
21 July 2015 – One million Income Tax returns have been submitted
Pretoria, 21 July 2015 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is pleased to confirm that by 13:00 yesterday (20 July 2015) it had passed the 1 million mark with respect to income tax returns submitted by taxpayers. This is encouraging and an important compliance measure for SARS as it indicates that 23.07% of taxpayers who […]
22 July 2015 – SARS Commissioner launches Customs cargo scanner at Cape Town Harbour
Pretoria, 22 July 2015 – As part of efforts by the South African Revenue Services (SARS) to combat illicit trade activities, a new high-technology cargo container scanner was officially launched at Cape Town Harbour today, by SARS Commissioner, Mr Tom Moyane. The scanner is the second of its kind to be acquired by SARS Customs in its […]
23 July 2015 SARS issues stern warning to merchants in the fast moving cash goods (FMG) industries
Pretoria, 23 July 2015 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has identified extensive non-compliance within the formal and informal cash merchants environment, which includes merchants in the FMCG wholesale and retail industry. Following various investigations SARS has identified 295 Cash and Carry entities that displayed the following non-compliant behaviour: Customs fraud, Tax evasion, Claiming of […]
27 July 2015 – SARS and SAPS confiscate over R2m worth of suspected stolen alcohol
Pretoria, 27 July 2015 – South African Revenue Service (SARS) officials and members of the SA Police Service (SAPS) discovered 14 000 boxes of illegal alcohol at a bottle store in Pretoria’s Marabastad area on Friday 24 July. Despite initial denials by the owner of the bottle store that any alcohol was stored in the backyard, […]
12 August 2015 – Drugs and counterfeit shoes discovered by Customs officials
Pretoria, 12 August 2015 – Ephedrine worth over R1 million was discovered hidden in lace embroidery at the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) mail centre this week. On Tuesday, 11 August, SARS Customs officials conducted random inspections at the ORTIA mail centre, where a parcel, which arrived from India and destined for Johannesburg, was searched, containing […]
13 August 2015 – Drugs found in ironing boards at ORTIA mail centre
Pretoria, 13 August 2015 – Ephedrine worth over R2 million was discovered hidden in ironing boards at the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) mail centre yesterday (12 August 2015). While conducting random inspections at the mail centre, a Customs officer spotted a parcel coming from India declared as ironing boards. Importation of ironing boards through the […]
19 August 2015 – R8m worth of crystal meth found in woman’s luggage
Pretoria, 18 August 2015 – Crystal meth (tik) worth over R8 million was discovered hidden in the lining of a passenger’s baggage at the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) yesterday,18 August 2015. The female passenger, who had just disembarked from a flight from Dubai, was stopped and her bag was scanned. The Customs officer grew suspicious […]
