The government is reported to have lost over 3bn/- in import duty on Windhoek Lager beers ,3 year

[R.B]

Managing Partner of Mabibo Wines and Spirits Ltd James Rugemarila revealed the illegal beer importation at a press conference yesterday, noting that hundreds of tonnes were being smuggled into the country from Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
He said surveys by his company have further revealed that the illegal importers enter their consignments with code number of 2034E516711346.
“We have exclusive right on the products and whoever wants to deal with these products should first secure a written consent from our company,” Mr Rugemarila said, charging that lately the government has been losing 10,000/- tax per carton through illegal importation.
He insisted Mabibo Wines imports Windhoek beer under code number MB66 and to maintain quality, the company will soon conduct market surveillance to impound fake products already in the market. The Managing Partner cautioned that unless the illegal importation of the beverage is tamed, attempts to import counterfeit Windhoek Beer could also follow.
Kinondoni Resident Magistrate Sundi Fimbo, in an October 2010 Consent Decree, banned a city-based firm, Ms Chissels Ltd, from trading in Windhoek beverages without the written consent from Mabibo Beer Wines.
The decree stated that nobody was allowed to sell in the Tanzanian market Heineken Beer which doesn’t bear code number 11330 or Windhoek Beer not bearing Code Number MB66, “Except where specific written consent of the plaintiff has been sought and obtained.” Efforts to reach the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to comment on the saga failed on Tuesday.