Maputo — The Mozambican customs service on Friday seized 14 tonnes of frozen chicken and chicken derivatives and 5,000 boxes of eggs (each containing a dozen eggs) at Ressano Garcia, on the border with South Africa, according to a report on Radio Mozambique.
This brought to 27.5 tonnes the amount of contraband chicken and chicken derivatives seized by Mozambican customs at Ressano Garcia so far this month.
The customs officials surprised seven importers trying to smuggle the chickens in without any of the necessary paper work, such as proof of legitimate acquisition, certificates of origin and health certificates.
But even with these documents, the imports would have been illegal, since the Mozambican authorities have banned the import of all chickens and chicken derivatives, in order to protect the national poultry industry.
The director of the provincial economic activities services, in the Maputo provincial government, Ernesto Mafumo, told the Radio that the seizures show how the customs service is doing its job of controlling imports.
The illicit trade in smuggled poultry does not end at the border, said Mafumo. In some cases, importers manage to take contraband chicken into Mozambique. “In those cases, the goods have to be chased and apprehended within Mozambican territory”, he said.
Shops and other commercial establishments “will be visited continually”, added Mafumo, “to check that the goods have been legally imported, and also to inspect their quality”.
Source: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique