烟草在线据BDlive网站报道编译　　南非税收服务(SARS)正利用现代技术武装南非的边防哨所，以抑制卷烟走私。

　　据SARS称，opfontein边防哨所，位于南非和博茨瓦纳之间，而Beitbridge哨所，在南非和津巴布韦之间，占到了该国70%的非法烟草和30%的卷烟市场份额。

　　它还表示，犯罪集团现在更有可能走私卷烟而不是毒品。

　　“使海关现代化的这些举措，将使海关能够应对21世纪的边界和贸易环境的挑战，”SARS女发言人玛丽·穆勒说。

　　“其中的一个这样的挑战就是卷烟的非法贸易。在过去，在评估和检查方面没有足够的时间和精力，导致海关没有对入关的商品进行适当的检查。”

　　据SARS称，一个新的电子发布系统，意味着边防哨所是世界上首个减少纸和邮票需求的哨所，海关官员将使用ipad进行物理检查和条形码扫描。

　　南非烟草研究所的首席执行官弗朗索瓦·范·凡德尔莫维说，这些举措有助于遏制非法卷烟走私，但也促使非法运营商改变他们的“做法”。

　　“卷烟现在是通过隐藏在卡车、油轮和车辆内走私，不申报，或者错误申报，或者远离实际的边境口岸，由穿过边境的人携带进行纯走私，”他说。

　　“任何20支装一包卷烟的售价低于15兰特，都应当被视为可疑的，”范·凡德尔莫维补充道。“非法卷烟刺激消费，因为消费者现在可以买到便宜的卷烟。这意味着减少烟草产品消费的政府目的，没有达到。”

　　去年卫生部长Aaron Motsoaledi博士实施了更严厉的禁烟法案。

　　SARS涉及到四个邻国，实现电子交换海关数据。据称，利用制作的几个“一站式边境”设施，更高效的数据流将提高海关对所有边界的治理。

　　边防哨所也能协调嫌疑团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