Zambia revenue agency intercepts 10 trucks with smuggled copper ore

Authorities in Zambia on Tuesday intercepted 10 trucks laden with copper ore which was supposed to have been smuggled into the country without paying any taxes, the country’s revenue collection agency said.

The trucks were intercepted at a border entry as they attempted to enter Zambia from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the copper was smuggled from.

The Corporate Communications Manager of Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), Topsy Sikalinda, said the smugglers, who were foreigners, presented fake customs documents at the border, but alerted officers after verification and impounded the trucks.

Sikalinda said during the interception, the officers were threatened with guns, but since the operation was jointly conducted with other security agencies, the trucks were intercepted and issued with seizure notices.

He said the country was losing millions of money monthly due to a drastic reduction in the importation of copper ores by importers because smugglers were now supplying them with the commodity.

He, however, said that security had been tightened at all border entries with the DRC as part of efforts to curb smuggling.