THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is currently investigating the smuggling of more than 30 cases of Brazilian-made Blackstone whiskey by a driver attached to the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs.

GRA Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, confirmed on Tuesday that the revenue body is making a case against the driver who is reportedly off the job as a result of the incident.

The incident occurred several weeks ago in the lead-up to the holiday season. The vehicle, a government Toyota Hilux pick-up bearing licence plate, PTT 1451 was stopped at the routine checkpoint at the Kurupukari Crossing on the Essequibo River by GRA officers. The vehicle is currently at the Mabura check-point along the Linden/Lethem trail where customs also has a base.

The driver was heading to Georgetown at the time of the incident, when customs officers inspected the vehicle and unearthed some 37 cases of the alcoholic beverage.

Statia told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that the vehicle is still in the custody of the GRA and it will be returned to the government ministry when investigations into the incident are completed.

The Commissioner-General also informed the Chronicle that in the Lethem area, there exists an economic zone and certain transactions which do not attract relevant duties and taxes would see the goods purchased remaining in that zone. As such, any movement of goods outside the area would require the consumer to pay the requisite fees.

Over the years, government vehicles have generally received a free pass by police and customs at checkpoints across the country. A number of cases have occurred in recent years in which persons would import large quantities of liquor without paying the relevant taxes.

In December, Statia noted that the GRA has been paying keen attention to smuggling, which siphons off billions of dollars in revenues,annually. He said that there is a huge smuggling racket involving alcohol and cigarettes, which is causing the Guyana government to lose an estimated $2B in taxes, annually.