Officials at the customs department are issuing a warning to persons importing vehicles duty-free by fraudulent means.

Acting Deputy Controller of Customs on Grand Bahama, Whitney Kenny said he received information from the Controller of Customs concerning persons in Grand Bahama selling approved SERZ (Special Economic Recovery Zone) forms.  “We have come across individuals who did this in the past and for some reason they were scammed, he said.”

SERZ was introduced by the government after the passage of Hurricane Dorian to assist in the rebuilding of Abaco and Grand Bahama.  It offered Bahamians tax concessions on items such as cars and building supplies.

Kenny said, “the SERZ imported vehicles should not be imported into Nassau which is out the zone. And so the present Controller, Mr. Ralph Munroe decided to send his team out to start seizing these vehicles that were imported in this manner into Nassau.”

According to Kenny there are still persons in need of the benefits of SERZ.  “You have many persons who would come forward to say that hey I’m just able to import a car because I was fixing my home and trying to get that back in order first.  And so we still individuals coming forward seeking to get the SERZ exemption and in many instances these persons here in Grand Bahama would have had an approved form.”

The Deputy Controller says owners of the seized vehicles have been placed on payment plans in order to settle their tax bills.