KINGSTON: Scores of persons, as well as some established companies, have been trying to import vehicles into Jamaica without the requisite permits.
This has caused the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) to increase its vigilance as it monitors the importation of vehicles and other items.
Since the start of this year, the JCA has recorded 178 cases where persons or entities have imported vehicles without having the requisite permit, leaving them in breach of the law.
The JCA says, so far, it has cleared up 169 of these violations with $7,250,000 in penalties paid over by the importers of motor vehicles. The remaining nine cases are being processed.
“We cite several persons every day for permit breaches, whether it is agricultural produce or pharmaceuticals, and we have computerised it since January,” said head of the JCA, Major Richard Reese.
“Vehicles do come in and when they arrive here there is no permits or the person has applied for the permit, but there is no permit at the time when it comes in and then Customs breaches them and there is a penalty that is imposed. If you leave it (vehicle) on the port and it stays for too long then we will auction it, and that is the standard procedure,” added Reese.
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