$10m scanners to ease congestion at Dar port

Importers had to have their goods inspected before they were shipped to the country.  

The programme ended on December 31, 2003.

The department then introduced the Destination Inspection Programme in July 2004.  

Under this programme, Customs declaration is performed in Tanzania.

Selected consignments requiring physical verification are inspected upon arrival in the country.  

X-ray scanning was initially done on imported containerised cargo. Scanners have been installed at KICD, JKNIA and other selected stations.  

Excise duty is levied on seven items, each at its own rate.

The items are beer, soft drinks, cigarettes, salon and station wagon cars with engine capacity exceeding 2000cc, plastic shopping bags, wine, mineral water and spirits, and petroleum products.  

The Department has gone through various stages of development. Before the East African Community collapsed in 1977, the Customs and Excise Department was under the management of the East African Community.

Thereafter, Customs operations were transferred to the Ministry of Finance (Treasury) in July 1977.

In 1982, the Customs and Excise Department was merged with the Sales Tax Department.  

In 1996, the Customs and Excise Department was one of three revenue-collecting departments of the Tanzania Revenue Authority that were formed under the Tanzania Revenue Authority Act No 11 of 1995.

And starting January 1, 2005, the Customs and Excise Department started implementing EAC laws, namely the EAC Protocol and its Regulations, the EAC Customs Management Act and its Schedules, and the External and Internal Tariffs.