Nearly N$3m in illicit goods smuggled into Namibia this year

Illegal cross-border smuggling through unauthorised entry points along Namibia’s borders with Zambia and Angola has cost government an estimated N$2.8 million in lost revenue so far this year, according to a Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) report shared with Namibian Sun this week.The report paints a stark picture of smuggling activities, with intercepted goods at the Namibia-Zambia border amounting to N$1.84 million in lost duties and taxes in 2024, while seizures along the Angola border exceeded N$1.03 million.Despite ongoing enforcement, NamRA said the true scale of revenue loss is likely higher due to undetected smuggling. Commonly smuggled items include fuel, secondhand vehicles, vehicle parts, alcohol, clothing, perfumes, curios, stationery and toys.Surge in smuggling Kavango East regional police commander Commissioner Andreas Haingura confirmed the surge in illicit activity yesterday in an interview with this publication.“There is no decrease... This thing is just increasing on a daily basis,” Haingura said.He listed smuggled items such as macaroni, spaghetti, whisky sachets, cigarettes, sandals and second-hand clothing among the most frequently trafficked items. “Fuel is also coming through our illegal gazetted points,” he added.Haingura said the challenge lies in the vastness of the border, which makes patrolling difficult. “People are using ungazetted points of entry to come in. Our taxis are going to the river to collect these items,” he explained.Step by step Still, he noted that police have made progress. “We have had some successes where people are arrested, some are taken to NamRA, and fines are issued. Sometimes cars used to transport smuggled goods are confiscated,” he said.Fines typically range from N$6 000 to N$8 000, depending on the value of the seized goods. “I remember one was fined N$8 000,” Haingura said, adding that law enforcement continues to apply pressure on smugglers despite logistical hurdles.NamRA said it continues to collaborate with police and other agencies through joint border patrols and operations, as well as community outreach programmes encouraging residents to report smuggling activity.In earlier reports this year, a local newspaper quoted NamRA spokesperson Steven Ndorokaze saying the agency had already issued 134 fines totalling around N$750 000 to individuals caught smuggling goods.He warned that the real cost of smuggling is likely far higher: “Many more goods that are smuggled go undetected,” he said.phillipus@nmh-hub.com.na#LocalNews #KavangoEast #NMH #Rundu #Border #Police #Namra #ntv #NamibianSun #Republikein #AZ #RegionalReview

Nearly N$3m in illicit goods smuggled into Namibia this year

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-15

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Nearly N$3m in illicit goods smuggled into Namibia this year

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-15

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