Customs swoop down on Marina for audit
Acting on a tip from a source, this news site went to the marina and staked out as the Customs officials eventually came and held discussions with the management of the Hodge’s Creek Marina.
While some boats at the Marina were searched by the ranks and officials, none of them was actually seized whereby Customs tape is placed on it.
Among the officials on premises was Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith.
In a comment to this news site, Mr Smith said they were there to do compliance audits and that no boat had been seized since investigations were still ongoing.
He said the audits did not just concern the Customs laws and regulations but those of other Government agencies such as Immigration, Conservation and Fisheries and the Labour Department.
“We are here to do some compliance audits [as we have been doing at the various marinas and charter companies] to make sure that they are in compliance with all of the Customs regulations and to make sure that they are paying the appropriate fees for cruises, National Park fees, cruising permits, commercial licences, making sure that they are up to date,” he said.
Charter company the focus of Customs probe
However, one company was on the Customs’ radar during the operation, according to Smith.
“Right now there is a company which I can’t disclose the name of the company yet...we are monitoring this company right now to ensure full compliance. An investigation is currently ongoing right now,” he said.
Smith said the company has several boats which are usually docked at the Hodge’s Creek Marina and that several of them were at sea while some of them were in port. He said this company has more than 12 boats on which Customs has its focus on.
Smith said that the compliance checks have been happening at other marinas also. “The Marine Task Force [of Customs] do various compliance checks at all of the marinas, not only on Tortola but in Virgin Gorda, to make sure that charter companies are in compliance,” he said.
“There is a number of charter agencies whom we found have been giving incorrect information to their clients, they have been in violation and a number of them have been penalised. We are encouraging them that if they have any questions to call the Customs Department. We are open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and we are always there to meet and advise,” said Smith.
He stressed that agents who are managing agencies or acting on behalf of clients who own boats need to make sure that they are well versed in the Customs legislation in order to properly advise their clients appropriately. “Because we found that a number of the agents have been misinforming their clients in order to circumvent the laws of the Virgin Islands and because of that substantial penalties have been levied and we continue to publicise and inform the industry that they need to ensure that they are in full compliance,” Smith said.
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