煙草在線據BDlive網站報道編譯　　南非稅收服務(SARS)正利用現代技術武裝南非的邊防哨所，以抑制卷煙走私。

　　據SARS稱，opfontein邊防哨所，位于南非和博茨瓦納之間，而Beitbridge哨所，在南非和津巴布韋之間，占到了該國70%的非法煙草和30%的卷煙市場份額。

　　它還表示，犯罪集團現在更有可能走私卷煙而不是毒品。

　　“使海關現代化的這些舉措，將使海關能夠應對21世紀的邊界和貿易環境的挑戰，”SARS女發言人瑪麗·穆勒說。

　　“其中的一個這樣的挑戰就是卷煙的非法貿易。在過去，在評估和檢查方面沒有足夠的時間和精力，導致海關沒有對入關的商品進行適當的檢查。”

　　據SARS稱，一個新的電子發布系統，意味著邊防哨所是世界上首個減少紙和郵票需求的哨所，海關官員將使用ipad進行物理檢查和條形碼掃描。

　　南非煙草研究所的首席執行官弗朗索瓦·范·凡德爾莫維說，這些舉措有助于遏制非法卷煙走私，但也促使非法運營商改變他們的“做法”。

　　“卷煙現在是通過隱藏在卡車、油輪和車輛內走私，不申報，或者錯誤申報，或者遠離實際的邊境口岸，由穿過邊境的人攜帶進行純走私，”他說。

　　“任何20支裝一包卷煙的售價低于15蘭特，都應當被視為可疑的，”范·凡德爾莫維補充道。“非法卷煙刺激消費，因為消費者現在可以買到便宜的卷煙。這意味著減少煙草產品消費的政府目的，沒有達到。”

　　去年衛生部長Aaron Motsoaledi博士實施了更嚴厲的禁煙法案。

　　SARS涉及到四個鄰國，實現電子交換海關數據。據稱，利用制作的幾個“一站式邊境”設施，更高效的數據流將提高海關對所有邊界的治理。

　　邊防哨所也能協調嫌疑團伙或非法走私的信息。

South Africa: SARS Gets Tech-savvy at Borders to Curb Cigarette Smuggling

　　THE South African Revenue Service (SARS) is using modern technology to curb cigarette smuggling by modernising South Africa's border posts.

　　The Kopfontein border post, between South Africa and Botswana, and the Beitbridge post, between South Africa and Zimbabwe, account for 70% of illegal tobacco's 30% market share in the country, according to SARS.

　　It also said syndicates were now more likely to smuggle cigarettes than drugs.

　　"The initiatives to modernise will enable customs to deal with challenges presented by the 21st-century border and trade environment," said Marika Muller, spokeswoman for SARS.

　　"One such challenge is the illegal trade in cigarettes. In the past, inadequate time and effort was spent on assessment and inspections, resulting in entries being released without proper investigation."

　　A new electronic release system is meant to reduce the need for paper and stamps at border posts and, in a world first according to SARS, customs officials will use iPads for physical inspections and barcode scanning.

　　Francois van der Merwe, CEO of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa, said the initiatives had helped curb the smuggling of illegal cigarettes, but also prompted illicit operators to change their "modus operandi".

　　"Cigarettes are now brought in by concealed consignments, hidden compartments in trucks, tankers and vehicles, nondeclaration or mis-declaration, or plain smuggling in which they use humans to carry cigarettes across our border, away from the actual border crossings," he said.

　　"Any cigarettes selling for below R15 for a pack of 20 should be regarded as suspicious," Mr van der Merwe added. "Illicit cigarettes are stimulating consumption because consumers can now buy them for cheap. This means that the government's objective of a reduction in consumption of tobacco products is going out of the window."

　　Tougher antismoking legislation was implemented last year by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.

　　SARS is engaging four neighbouring countries to implement the electronic exchange of customs data. It said a more efficient data flow would improve customs treatment at all borders, with several "one-stop border" facilities in the making.

　　Border posts would also be able to co-ordinate information on suspected syndicates or illegal smuggling. Enditem