President of Customs Broker Association of Liberia, James Hinneh asserts
Monrovia, Liberia – The President of the Customs Broker Association of Liberia, James Hinneh took the witness stand to testify as the defense’s fifth subpoena witness on Monday, May 1, 2023, that the National Port Authority (NPA) did not issue TRH Trading any import permit declaration to clear the US $100M cocaine containers from the Free Port of Monrovia.
According to him, the containers surprisingly left the port without being searched. Hinneh revealed to the court and jury that BAVIC did not also permit TRH to clear their containers. He noted that the cocaine container doesn’t follow the BAVIC regulations, because it did not attach its permit before the clearing of the container by TRH.
According to Hannahneh, the report was to confirm that the container is free of dangerous substances, adding that TRH Trading Cooperation also violated the custom regulation by shipping the 100 million cocaine container into the country.
“There was no Import Permit Declaration (IPD) or the Import Notification form (INF), the key security instruments for shipment obtained by TRH cleared the container.”
The broker President added that, in order for a consignment to comply with shipping requirements, the Ministry of Commerce typically approves the notification form and the permit declaration; however, in the case of the US $100M container, he did not find any documents in the AMP Terminal’s Asycuda System indicating that the ministry had authorized TRH to ship the container.
According to Hinneh, custom brokers are only allowed to review documents from the Asycuda System that carries the name of a customer and they were denied access to printed copies of the ship documents.
“I saw TRH’s custom branch in the Asycuda system when I asked to view the company’s documentation, I was denied access,” Hinneh testified.
Besides, the ministry, Hinneh said BAVIC’s report of the declaration must be attached to the permit or the notification form indicating that the consignment is free of any dangerous substances, but for the TRH’s container, it does not follow the BAVIC processes.
He, among other things, indicated that “the Global Maritime Tracking Solution (GMTS) certificate recommended both to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the APM Terminals for a physical examination to be conducted on the TRH’s container, but no physical examination was conducted on said consignment,” Hinneh testified.
But he noted that other documents including the bill of landing of TRH showed that pork and chicken feet were the goods in the consignment.
“it was later discovered that unwanted substances were found in the container. While we were unsure as to who put the unwanted substances in the container, we were certain that the import was made by TRH who is cognizant of the process and procedure of import. We were surprised to have noticed TRH’s breach in the normal clearing procedure of said consignment.”
Hinneh further explained that the bill of lading and the cargo tracking note certificate by the Asycuda System through which declaration can also be made by the customer.
“We as custom brokers can also use the bill of lading and the cargo tracking to make our declaration custom and to review or to see other declarations. Custom storm and AMP Terminal have a right to the system.”
Hinnrh maintained: “the bill of lading is the only instrument that shows ownership of importation. And the bill of lading document in my hands showed that the consignment was imported by TRH,” he testified.
The trial continues
By: G. Watson Richards
Contact: +231880381808
Email: richardswatson96@gmail.com
