By Burnett Munthali
Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has taken a significant step to curb smuggling and boost revenue collection by deploying seven drones along the country’s borders.
The drones are being used to monitor operations from the air, providing real-time surveillance to intercept smugglers and prevent revenue loss.
MRA Taxpayer Education Manager, Wadza Otomani, revealed that smuggling has been a serious challenge, particularly in areas such as Dedza, Mchinji, and parts of Mzimba.
Otomani stated that the authority had been losing millions of kwacha due to smuggling, prompting the initiative to procure the drones with funding from the World Bank.
“Smuggling is a serious challenge, and we needed a solution that would help us deal with it effectively,” he said.
The deployment of drones is part of MRA’s efforts to meet its revenue target of 6 trillion kwacha this financial year.
Otomani emphasized that the initiative is aimed at collecting revenue that would have been lost due to smuggling.
The use of drones is expected to enhance MRA’s surveillance capabilities, making it more difficult for smugglers to operate undetected.
This move is likely to boost revenue collection and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
