Man arrested for attempted bribe of Durban SARS official
The suspect had intended to use the bribe to have a detained truck and its load of alcohol released.
A MAN has been arrested by The South African Revenue Services (SARS) for attempting to bribe a SARS customs official.
The foreign national, who had offered a bribe of R200 000 to the customs officer, appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court last week.
“The suspect had intended to use the bribe to have a detained truck and its load of alcohol released. Customs & Excise Duties on the alcohol was R1 200 000,” SARS spokesperson Sicelo Mkosi said.
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At the time of the arrest, the suspect was in possession of a false invoice, alleging that the alcohol had been supplied by a known Gauteng-based liquor chain store.
“Upon further inquiry, the suspect failed to provide a reasonable explanation or evidence of where the load of alcohol had been obtained. As a result, the officers issued the suspect with a Letter of Intent to seize both the truck and the load,” Mkosi said.
He said while no country is immune to these crimes, SARS, as the agency responsible for revenue collection, will always be a target for criminals.
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“Tackling corruption effectively is imperative for SARS as we continue on our journey to rebuild trust. As such, the Customs officer at Durban who refused the bribe is commended for having headed the call not to be corrupted,” he said.
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