HARARE — Zimbabwe has intensified its fight against smuggling with a sweeping new directive that will see both contraband goods and the vehicles used to transport them automatically seized by the State. The move, issued by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion and signed by Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga, forms part of government efforts to stem massive revenue losses and restore fairness in the domestic market.
The directive follows findings from the National Money Laundering Risk Assessment, which identified smuggling as one of Zimbabwe’s most damaging organised economic crimes. According to the latest Financial Intelligence Unit report, smuggling generated the largest share of illicit proceeds between 2019 and 2024, surpassing even illegal gold and precious stones trading. Combined, money laundering activities—driven largely by these crimes—are costing the country an estimated US$1.23 billion annually, equivalent to 3.4% of the 2023 GDP.
Officials say the flood of untaxed, cheaply imported goods is undermining local manufacturers and eroding the tax base, prompting government to adopt a far more punitive approach. In a circular dated 12 November 2025, Treasury instructed ZIMRA to enforce Section 193 of the Customs and Excise Act without hesitation, ordering that any goods involved in an offence be “forfeited to the State without reservation.” The directive also removes the long-standing option for offenders to pay the required duty and reclaim their goods if the value of the contraband exceeds the duty payable.
Crucially, the order extends to all conveyances used in smuggling operations. This means buses, haulage trucks and private vehicles found transporting illicit goods will now be seized automatically. Transport operators and cross-border traders are expected to be the most affected, as government seeks to dismantle the networks that have enabled large-scale smuggling for years.
The crackdown is a central component of Zimbabwe’s 2026 fiscal strategy, with Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube emphasising the need for stronger border controls, enhanced post-clearance audits and improved inter-agency cooperation. Authorities argue that curbing smuggling and tightening enforcement will help reclaim lost revenue, strengthen industrial competitiveness and close long-standing loopholes that have fuelled corruption and tax evasion.
Government officials maintain that the new measures mark a decisive shift toward protecting national interests, warning that smuggling will now carry far heavier consequences as Zimbabwe pushes to rebuild its economic foundations.
