Eradicate illegal trade to boom legal trade

Although the government is encouraging the market economic system in the country, some businesspersons derail from the path paved by the government with selfishness for committing illegal trade processes aimed at evading necessary taxes to be paid to the State.
Illegal trade is a hindrance to the implementation of the economic objectives of the State. As such, the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee was reconstituted on 10 December 2021 in conformity with the current situation of the State economy in order to take severe action against offenders.
In this regard, illegal trade measures are based on government policy, supply and demand, transparency and trade, and customs environment. In eradicating the illegal process, commodities in illegal trade worth approximately K65.056 billion were seized in 4,232 cases from January to December 2022, compared to some K8.459 billion in 2,240 cases in the same period of 2021, exceeding K56.597 billion during the period.
Task forces checked commodities along the trade routes or at checkpoints in the past. Currently, those task forces raid the warehouses and buildings where illegal commodities might be stored acting on a tip-off and taking action against offenders under the law.
It is necessary to reduce the illegal gates which accepted the passing of illegal trade through bribes. If necessary, more legal posts and entrances must be allowed. Legal border trade camps must give services of a smooth process for trade, and on the other hand, severe action must be taken against those who use illegal routes and posts for tax avoidance. To do so, an emphasis must be placed on enforcing rule of law along border regions.
Moreover, staff members assigned at relevant posts and checkpoints should not be involved in bribery cases in illegal trade measures. They have to be free from taking any money and bribes in illegal trade. If not, severe action will be taken against those staff as a sample move. Likewise, it is necessary to continuously raise public awareness of the disadvantages of illegal trade.
In checking illegal trade, arms and ammunition and narcotic drugs were seized in addition to illegal commodities. Drug producers change the distribution of drugs in the form of foodstuffs targeting the youths. Hence, parents and family members need to verify foodstuffs based on their knowledge.
The staff members assigned should take pride in serving their duties loyal to the State in seizing illegal commodities free from bribes for levying taxes deserved by the State. Only when illegal trade gradually declines will the legal trade boom day after day.