Botswana revenue service fights smuggling

The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) has ramped up efforts to curb the smuggling of goods into the country, including from SA, reports The Patriot. It is targeting prohibited vegetables and illegal tobacco products by intensifying physical searches at all ports of entry and deploying its K-9 unit to bolster border security. Reports have been rife that some big retailers are smuggling and undeclaring vegetables produce sourced from SA into the country, jeopardising BURS tax collection capacity. BURS commissioner Jeanette Makgolo said the agency would continue to be vigilant and crack down on smuggling of goods such as illegal cigarettes popularly known as mangwanda in the streets. Meanwhile, Makgolo said, as of 31 March 2025, preliminary accounts show net tax collections stood at a record-breaking P61.097bn ($4 444 806 750). She credited the impressive performance to the implementation of the 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, which focuses heavily on reducing leakages at border entry points. Makgolo said. She emphasised the need to enforce tighter controls on all bonded warehouses, which hold goods yet to be taxed, in order to close off another major source of revenue leakage.