Baghdad – IA
The head of the Border Ports Authority, Major General Omar Al-Waeli, confirmed today, Friday, the continuation of activating the (ASYCUDA) system by the General Authority of Customs in the Great Welcome Square and the start of electronically automating work at all ports gradually, whatever the cost, in addition to a network connection for sonars and electronic audit programs. By the Border Ports Authority to integrate with all departments operating at the ports electronically, while summarizing the benefits of electronic auditing of border ports in revealing the largest fraud operation in which the value of waste exceeded 3 billion Iraqi dinars.
Al-Waeli said, in an interview conducted with him by the (INA): “The transition to electronic work represents the government’s direction, as the government program included great interest in the file of border ports and customs, and emphasized the transition from paper work to electronic work.”
Asycoda system
He added, “Thanks to the government’s support and continuous directions, the ASYCUDA system was activated by UNCTAD in contract with the Ministry of Finance, and on March 1, the system began at the northern port of Umm Qasr in the Welcome Square.”
He pointed out that “there is an expected reaction from some weak-minded people who have made a living from incorrect work, as their interests will be harmed by the introduction of automation and electronic governance,” stressing that “the Authority did not care about these objections, but rather carried out qualitative operations and arrested a large group of merchants and importers in violation of the law.” “There is a governmental will and governmental directive to proceed with electronic automation at all border crossings, irreversibly and no matter the cost.”
He continued: “Despite the objections that occurred, the authority continued its work, and we do not allow any goods to enter unless they are subjected to auditing and electronic data.”
Maximize revenue
Al-Waeli stressed that “electronic auditing will maximize revenues and will not allow the employee to determine the value of the goods on his own or according to his whims. Rather, the system will determine the percentage of customs duty required for the goods imported into Iraq.”
He stressed that “this will achieve real and accurate collection that matches the price of the goods arriving in Iraq.”
Self-help electronic programs
He added: “We, at the Border Ports Authority, have multiple electronic programs, which we created with our own efforts, including the pre-inspection program to protect the Iraqi consumer, as well as the customs exemptions program to prevent tampering with quantities of goods and exemption books, as well as the certificates of origin and invoices program to control the origin of the goods.” “As well as auditing financial transfers so that merchants do not exploit financial transfers that exceed the actual size of the goods.”
He stressed that “these programs are flexible and will be interconnected with the ASYCUDA program. The border crossings implement government directives accurately and quickly, and there is effort and perseverance on our part to continue this electronic work.”
Sonar networking and image analysis
He pointed out that “the authority has implemented a network connection for the sonars and has begun analyzing images of the goods, which means that no goods containing hidden smuggled materials will pass and enter Iraq, and thus this will reflect positively on raising the level of the Iraqi economy to higher levels, and its classification will be among the countries that followed good governance.” “We will be among the countries that fought drug smuggling and the smuggling of goods prohibited from import.”
Positive results
Al-Waeli continued his speech: “There are many independent bodies that have been separated from the ministries, and there are many administrative structures that have been changed and created, but the positive results are what give the true picture of the success of this separation or this experience through the creation of the Border Ports Authority, and today the success has been proven.” The Border Ports Authority after it became an independent body linked to the Council of Ministers.”
He pointed out that “among the results achieved recently was the arrest of a drug dealer and transporter in one of the eastern ports, and over the course of two days approximately 213 smuggled cars under the model that came to the ports based on suspicious agreements were seized, but the Ports Authority had a different opinion by seizing these… Wheels, an investigation will be conducted, and the transport companies, importers, and companies that began bringing these cars will be held accountable.”
Control of the largest forgery operation
Al-Waeli revealed, “The largest tax fraud operation has been seized, exceeding 3 billion dinars so far,” stressing that “a retrospective audit is underway into all the details of the operation.”
He explained, “The process consisted of falsifying tax receipts, as this is done by tax officials at the border crossings cutting a fake receipt for the real amount, but what goes as final revenue to the state is much less than the real fee that was taken at the border crossings, and thus this money goes to Pockets of corrupt people.
He concluded by saying: “For example, there are goods whose tax fee is 5 million dinars. The employee gives a fake receipt for the amount within the transaction to complete the procedures and take the goods out of the port, but the amount of five million turns into 50 thousand Iraqi dinars with another receipt that goes as final revenue for the state, and hence the difference.” The amount of 4 million and 950 thousand dinars goes into the pockets of corrupt people.”
He pointed out that “the value of the amount wasted until the current audit has reached the threshold of 3 billion dinars, which represents a difference and waste of public money, and the corrupt employees were arrested based on our follow-up and coordination with the Supreme Judicial Council / Presidency of the Basra Federal Court of Appeal and other supporting parties,” stressing that ” The investigation is ongoing, and a retrospective audit is underway, as this file is considered one of the important files that represents the arrest of employees tampering with the state’s tax revenues.”
Money laundering and fake transfers
Regarding money laundering and fake money transfers, Al-Waeli confirmed, “The Border Ports Authority was the first department in Iraq to diagnose, confirm, and take legal measures against many banks and companies that carried out money transfers with the help of employees.”
Activities and outputs
He noted that “among the Authority’s outputs and activities are: controlling major counterfeiting operations, qualitative seizures of drugs, cigarettes, medicines, and cars, and great coordination with other departments such as the Federal Integrity Commission to deter spoilers,” stressing that “the coordination of the Ports Authority with the Integrity Commission is at a high level, while Al-Sanad The main thing is the judiciary, which gives the legal cover to carry out red-handed arrests, implement arrest warrants, and follow up on existing violations, as well as the government program and the directives of the Prime Minister, which were important and present in combating the corruption pandemic, in addition to the important role of the Financial Supervision Bureau, which has a major role in coordination, cooperation, and integration with… The Ports Authority is a regulatory body that carries out its work in accordance with the law.
He stressed that “the Ports Authority is continuing its performance to reach a major integration process in the electronic program, as well as controlling revenues and violations, so that our ports will be the impenetrable dam and the first gateway to Iraq with neighboring countries to prevent the entry of any material that harms the Iraqi consumer.”
Ramadan and the flow of food
Al-Waeli says: “In conjunction with the approaching month of Ramadan, which requires a large influx of food supplies in order to maintain prices, the authority will work 24 hours a day to secure food supplies, the work of the Ministry of Commerce, and the entry of the largest possible amount of food and consumer items that the Iraqi citizen needs into the country.” RAMADAN month”.
He added, “This comes to block the way for speculators, smugglers and manipulators in the Iraqi market.”
Developing and training staff
He pointed out that “the authority is developing its personnel significantly, training its employees on electronic work, and establishing a data center to monitor border crossings with cameras, sonars, and auditing,” stressing that “work is continuing and on the rise.”
He stressed that “the doors of the border ports are open to the media and anyone who wishes to visit the ports to audit the electronic work and networking and see the large volume of activity practiced by the Border Ports Authority.”
Well thought out plan
He noted that “the Commission has a well-thought-out plan during the current year 2024, and it has a meeting with the directors of all Iraqi ports on a regular basis to evaluate performance and raise the level of work. The negligent ones will be held accountable and exempted, and those who have demonstrated distinguished activity during the past period will be honored. There is a plan that will be communicated to them and will be discussed accordingly.” “The variables, in addition to the presence of other specific and deterrent measures that we will adopt during the current year to reach integrated border crossings in all logistical aspects.”
Binding government decisions
Al-Waeli explained, “The governorates are concerned with developing the border crossings through the revenues generated, and there is high coordination with the governorates and a major reconstruction process taking place in most of Iraq’s crossings.”
He pointed out that “there are outlets that require more efforts than the governorates, and the Prime Minister paid great attention to this file, and government decisions were issued obligating the governorates to reconstruct the outlets from their revenues in order to improve the work situation.”