The cases of vehicles seized by Customs at the port will be reviewed, Vice-President James Michel said in SBC’s Tête-à-Tête radio programme on Sunday September 21.

“Each case will be treated separately,” VP Michel replied after programme producer Joanna Nicette had sought more information on last week’s news item about the seizures.

VP Michel said the Ministry of Finance would go over each of the cases. He indicated that cases which confirmed that the owners of the vehicles had really been duped would be considered for the release of the pick-up trucks.

“It is known that some of the owners had borrowed money from the banks and had been duped by agents responsible for importing the vehicles. They have to pay the loans and for one reason or another their trucks are stuck at the port. This is causing hardship to them,” noted VP Michel.

The review of these seizure cases will be on humanitarian ground.

“Our priority now is to resolve the present problem,” the Vice-President said.

Fines, if any, will be imposed. Actions would be taken against owners who have been found to have deliberately broken the law. The value of the trucks will also be re-assessed.

Noting that there are several of the seizure cases before the court, Mr Michel said the Ministry of Finance would wait to hear what the court has to say.

VP Michel also said that the procedures and regulations pertaining to vehicle imports would be given additional publicity as part of efforts to reinforce the law. Thereafter it is expected that importers would abide strictly by the regulations as there would be no exception for cases that do not meet import permit requirements.

It was reported in the media last week that Customs recently seized 17 pick-up trucks of various capacities and years of manufacture. It is suspected that some of the trucks are up to 10 years old although second-hand pick-ups of up to three years old are generally allowed into the country. Other vehicles stuck at the port include left-hand drive cars. There are also second-hand pick-ups that have been shipped to Victoria instead of brand new pick-ups.

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