Customs achieves 10 % more revenues than last year's first two months

Kosovo customs for the first two months of this year has managed to register close to 167m euros, or 10 per cent more inflows compared to the same period last year.

The head of the law enforcement directorate at this institution, the Arifi Union, at a media conference, said the revenue project for 2021 is about 1.2 billion euros, which can also be achieved if it continues with the trend of the first two months of this year.

The “over the reporting period for these first two months of the year's total revenues listed by Kosovo Customs in total have reached close to 167m euros, which compared to the same period in the preceding year, is close to 10 per cent more. It means around 14.6m euros more than last year. When it comes to the fact that these two months of last year have not been infertile months, I'm saying because we haven't had restrictive measures yet. - CO VID, this is a pleasant surprise to Kosovo's budget in which we have managed to raise revenues for these two months. This input trend if it goes on and we firmly believe if there's no additional relocation, austerity measures against - CO VID strongly believes that the projection of previous revenues near 1.2 billion euros will be achieved by Kosovo Customs”, he said.

He said this result has been achieved thanks to the good performance of the Kosovo Customs staff, the operating officer in the management of revenues, as well as separately commitment to fighting tax evasion, smuggling and informality.

While the leader of the Operational and Investigative Department, Driton Azemi, has presented the results in terms of the first two months of this year, where he said they have participated in 29 operational plans with other agencies and, as a result, has been confiscated smuggled goods worth 107 thousand euros.

“From anti-smuggle units have been conducted 1,000 and 708 road stoppages, transport vehicles checks, 518 controls at border crossings, we have participated in 29 operational plans with other law enforcement agencies in Kosovo, and as a result, 40 customs violations have been discovered, smuggled goods worth 1,000 euros. Kosovo's customs during this time has also carried out 25 surprise checks without warning, and decisions for incriminating of 256 thousand euros must have been issued without warning, he said.

He announced that Kosovo Customs has identified and recorded 11 new criminal cases with suspicion of smuggling goods and avoiding customs duties.

Kosovo's Customs with responsible sectors has identified and recorded 11 new criminal cases with suspicion of smuggling goods and avoiding customs duties. He has handed in 17 statements to the attorneys responsible, where sufficient evidence has been provided that we are dealing with avoidances worth more than 1.2m euros. Based on the evidence found and the cases dealt with along with competent justice bodies over the past two months, five suspected persons who have smuggled and carried out evasion from customs duties... during these two months of Kosovo Customs on the administrative side have dealt with 224 violations uncovered through customs sector offices worth more than 675 thousand euros and imposed fines of about 200 thousand euros. It is noteworthy that all of these cases, which have been uncovered and investigated by Kosovo Customs, are linked to drug smuggling and risking citizens' health, smuggling of mobile phones, smuggling of various goods through the green border line, and we have also recently had a case where narcotics smuggling from Albania to Kosovo” has been banned and discovered.

Azem said that thanks to international co-operation, they have managed to identify, prevent and confiscated significant amounts of cigarettes that have had international smuggling destination.

Similarly, he said Kosovo Customs continues to work to have a good image, fight corruption and establish transparency. In this regard, he said the prosecution is conducting investigations into 11 customs officials under suspicion of misuse of the official position.

Over the past two months, thanks to international co-operation, we have managed to identify, stop and under Prosecution to seize a significant amount of cigarettes that have had international smuggling destination in other countries. Customs duties of this banned tobacco amount are around 680 thousand euros. We will continue with work, try to achieve the results that we have before us, in dedication to law enforcement, with importance to fighting corruption, establishing transparency and presenting the fair image of Dogan. To that end Kosovo Customs is currently under Prosecution leadership, conducting investigations of 11 customs officials under suspicion of misusing the official position”, he said.

In the field of intellectual property justice, for two months he said Kosovo Customs has initiated 41 cases to verify 68 thousand and 375 items suspected of counterfeiting. As a result, he allegedly seized counterfeit goods worth 151 thousand euros.