The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has won its case against Richie Shaw, of Padrak Poultry Depot, who was fined $4.9 million or in default will have to serve one year in prison for smuggling chicken into the country.
According to a press release from the GRA, it was able to prove its case before a Georgetown Magistrates that Shaw had knowingly concealed un-customed chicken, contrary to section 218 (c) of the Customs Act.
The Revenue Authority said Shaw removed the smuggled chicken from its original ‘Rockingham’ packages and concealed them in black bags “to evade and deceive” law enforcement officers, by passing it off as local chicken.
The GRA said, however, that with the assistance of experts from the Veterinary Public Health Unit of the Ministry of Health, it was able to prove to the court that the chicken was smuggled.
In convicting Shaw on Thursday, the GRA said that a City Magistrate imposed a fine of $4,950,000, which is three times the value of the seized goods. If he is unable to pay the fine, the GRA said that Shaw will then have to serve one year imprisonment. Meanwhile, highlighting what it says is its “zero tolerance” approach to smuggling and other illegal activities, the GRA also announced that it currently has another case ongoing before the courts in which it seized in excess of $20 million in un-customed liquor and cigarettes.
It said that on Thursday it seized more than of 82 cases of smuggled liquor and over 62 bales of cigarettes, valued in excess of $20,000,000 from a property at Atlantic Garden, East Coast Demerara.
Noting that its investigations are ongoing into that probe, the GRA said that its zero-tolerance approach to smuggling and other illegal activities is aimed at ensuring a “level playing field” for legitimate businesses and the collection of revenue.
Against this background it is urging persons involved in such illegal activities to desist, and bring themselves into compliance with the nation’s tax, trade and border laws, the release said.