Page 239 - DMGT546_INTERNATIONAL_TRADE_PROCEDURE_AND_DOCUMENTATION

International Trade Procedures and Documentation

Notes We concluded that the Bills of Entry had been fraudulently prepared and presented for the
sole purpose of obtaining release of the containers from the Container Terminal in Durban.
The Road Transport Brokers
In each and every instance, the instructions for delivery of the ten containers had originated
from a single transport brokerage company in Durban.
The transport brokers advised us that their instructions had been received from an
individual who we will refer to as “Mr X”. The transport brokers maintained that the
instructions had been given telephonically, and that they had never actually met Mr X.
They also maintained that no written instructions had been received, and that the deliveries
had been undertaken on a “cash on delivery” basis.

The transport brokers provided us with copies of their individual instructions issued to
sub-contractors who were, variously, other transport brokers or physical road transport
companies.
This practice is quite customary in South Africa. A transport broker will receive an
instruction from an importer or his agent, after which that broker may in turn subcontract
to another transport broker who will in turn subcontract to the physical road transport
company, each party taking his percentage at the various stages. It is not uncommon for
five or six different transport brokers and/or road transport companies to be involved in
the collection and delivery of a single container.
The transport brokers produced a copy of a cash cheque in the amount of ` 50,000 which
was apparently given to them as payment for the delivery of the containers. The cheque
had been presented to the bank and dishonoured.

The transport brokers advised us that they had subsequently met with an unknown party
in a parking garage outside Johannesburg, and collected the amount of ` 50,000, in cash, in
a brown paper bag.
The transport brokers maintained that they had heard no more from Mr X after the deliveries
of the containers had been effected. They supplied a mobile telephone number for Mr X.
This was found to have been disconnected.
The transport brokers stated that, in their opinion, the goods were long gone, and had
been sent exactly where they were intended to be sent.
The Scene of the Crime
We attended at the address outside Johannesburg to which the containers had been
delivered. The address was that of a private house.
The owner of the house was interviewed. He confirmed that Mr X, who drove a red
Porsche sports car, had rented the house from him. Mr X had subsequently disappeared
without having paid the rent, and also after having removed some of the more expensive
fittings from the house.
The owner was also aware that at least one shipping container had been delivered to the
house. Cardboard cartons had been removed from the container and stacked against the
house. The cartons had subsequently been removed by a fleet of light delivery vehicles.
The owner confirmed having reported the matters of outstanding rent and theft of fittings
to the Police.

Contd...

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