Joint border enforcement operations led by the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) in collaboration with other government agencies intercepted and destroyed approximately 12,000 kilograms of illicit goods in December 2025, underscoring strengthened vigilance and inter-agency cooperation at the country’s borders.
The seizure was announced by ERS Commissioner General, Brightwell Nkambule, during the 2026 International Customs Day commemoration held on Monday at Mananga Border under the global theme “Customs Protecting Society through Vigilance and Commitment.”
Nkambule said the interception was a direct result of coordinated interventions by Customs, the Royal Eswatini Police Service, the Ministry of Health, and other border agencies working together to combat illicit trade. “A proof point of this collaboration is that in December 2025, joint interventions led to the interception and destruction of approximately 12,000 kilograms of illicit goods,” Nkambule said.
Nkambule noted that these results show that when working together, more can be achieved than when working in silos. “Partnerships remain essential. Protecting society is not a Customs-only responsibility, yindzaba yetfu sonkhe. It requires shared action across regulators, law enforcement, health authorities, agriculture, standards bodies, and the private sector,” he said.
He emphasised that the Customs’ role has expanded beyond revenue collection to include protecting public health, safety, the environment, and the integrity of supply chains.
Welcoming stakeholders to the commemoration, ERS Director of Customs & Technical, Precious Chauya, said that hosting International Customs Day at the border underscored Customs’ frontline role in preventing the misuse of cross-border trade.
“Illicit trade extends beyond unfair competition to compliant traders. It threatens livelihoods, endangers human lives, and even harms the environment,” Chauya said. “Our processes must be robust and reliable to prevent unsafe and harmful goods from entering our communities.”
She said Customs officers and partner agencies were committed to strengthening controls through collaboration and improved regulatory processes, and that vigilance at points of entry was critical to safeguarding society.
Speaking on behalf of the Eswatini National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), Muntu Almeida said that Customs administrations are now frontline defenders of society, balancing the facilitation of legitimate trade with the need to curb smuggling, fraud, and illicit trade.
“The theme of this year’s International Customs Day underscores Customs’ responsibility to remain vigilant in the face of evolving global challenges while ensuring the smooth flow of legitimate trade,” Almeida said.
He added that Eswatini had benefited from collaborating with the World Customs Organization (WCO) to strengthen capacity, particularly in rules of origin, which help protect legitimate trade and reduce disputes under regional and international trade agreements.
The CG concluded by stating that the ERS would continue strengthening coordinated border management through an Inter-Agency Cooperation Framework, enhanced risk management, and capacity-building support from partners such as the International Monetary Fund, particularly to address illicit trade through non-designated entry points.