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| Posted: 26 Jun 2009 13:11 | ||
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Registered User Currently Offline |
Posts: 42 Join Date: Apr 2009 |
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A company has defrauded customs by attempting to import a container of plastic bags by passing it off as napkins, according to an official. Maldivian Customs Director Ismail Nashid said the container, filled with over 700 boxes of plastic bags, was seized with the help of police after a two-day operation. Import duty on plastic bags is over 200 per cent, while only ten per cent duty is levied on napkins. “This may be the reason for smugglings the plastics bags,” said Nashid. Nashid said the high import duty on plastic bags was in place to control their import, as the bags were considered harmful to the Maldives’ fragile natural environment. He said the company paid US$613 on the napkins while the import duty for the 20-feet container of plastic bags would have been over US$15,000. He added goods, especially plastic bags, were frequently smuggled into the Maldives. Customs will now charge the company the remaining duty and impose a fine of up to 200 per cent of the price of the original import, said Nashid. Ali Rilwan, executive director of environmental NGO Bluepeace, told Minivan News that levying a high import duty had not discouraged the import of plastic bags. Instead, Rilwan said, an alternative eco-friendly bag should be available. “I don’t think banning would be a solution either as people need bags,” he said. “But people can be made more aware.” Plastic bags are detrimental to the marine life in the Maldives, which is a nation of over 1,000 coral islets. They are particularly harmful to jellyfish, whales and turtles, and if ingested can cause intestinal blockages and death. |
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