Mozambique: Authorities abort attempt to divert 160,000 litres of diesel in Beira – Watch

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Mozambique: Authorities abort attempt to divert 160,000 litres of diesel in Beira – Watch

7:48 CAT | 20 Jul 2020

Photo: Miramar

Mozambique’s Tax Authority (TA) has aborted an attempt to divert four trucks containing 160,000 litres of diesel in Sofala province, an official source told Lusa on Friday.

The drivers of the trucks, who were leaving the premises of state company Petromoc, said that the fuel would be re-exported via a Chinese vessel at the port of Beira when it was actually destined for the domestic market, said António Camacho, spokesman for TA in central Mozambique.

“We are facing an attempt to escape from the tax authorities, taking into account that when the fuel goes to refuel an international or foreign-flagged vessel it does not pay duties or taxes,” he said.

The truck drivers were caught in the act by AT officers and it is estimated that this would damage the Mozambican state by about one million meticais (€12,000).

The director of the Petromoc terminal at the port of Beira claimed there had been an administrative failure.
“We recognise the failure and we will restore things back to legality,” said Bernadino Cuaranha, in statements to the media.

The case comes at a time when the Mozambican government has announced that it will begin to reward those who report smuggling of mineral resources and fuels, to stop the illegal trade of this type of product in the country.