NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Customs Department revenue has bolted ahead of pre-pandemic figures by at least $15 million, according to Acting Customs Deputy Controller Ralph Munroe who lauded the hard-working officers in his department.
“We are ahead already and my projection is that we are going to really outwit it and we are really going to surpass government projection I think and I wouldn’t be surprised if we go to the tune of 1.2 billion dollars in collection,” he said.
So far for 2022, there has been a total of 51 fines cases, all minor offenses from January to date.
Munroe said these minor cases are defined by penalties that do not surpass $500, which would be sorted at the Customs Controllers’ office.
He continued: “There are small cases under $500 that would have been dealt with at the various stations, versus if you are in Exuma or if you are at Lynden Pindling International Airport. There is a small fine of $50, 300, 450 to 500 they would handle it there (at the controller’s office).
“The revenue that have been derived from those small offences would have been $218,300,” he said.
Munroe added that for the most part, those penalties serve to send a message to importers that they can’t outsmart the system.
“It’s not our intention to really punish people, our intention is to try to get them to curve their behavior,” he said.
In addition to the fines, Munroe said that they have carried out a number of a small number of drug seizures throughout the year while working with the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
He continued: “You might have heard of the three kilos of cocaine on one of the vessels that brought in vehicles just several weeks ago. That was a customs initiative.
“[…] Intelligence was given to us and we simply used the police who was with us. We would have also had give or take one hundred pounds of marijuana that we’ve seized over the last couple of months, 98 by three pounds to be exact.”
The Acting Deputy Controller said that officers have been hard at work over the past year, in total, having seized hundreds of pounds of illegal drug substances; and with the help of their K9 Unit they have also managed to seize nine drug cases within the last two and a half months.
“You know small quantities like three pounds, six pounds, four pounds, ten pounds, you know 15 and so forth so we’ve had basically, let’s say about 110 pounds of marijuana in small seizures and that’s between air cargo and Gladstone free terminal.”
