Africa-Press – Lesotho. Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) has detained a massive consignment of undeclared second-hand goods comprising clothing, shoes, and bags during a routine inspection that took place on the 3rd and 4th of July 2025 at St James Sports Ground in Maseru.
The goods, which were imported from China, were initially declared at the border post, and the importers indicated they would offload them at St James for inspection as per procedure. However, what was meant to be a standard clearance check quickly turned into a significant enforcement action.
According to the customs declaration submitted by the importers, the shipment included:
232 bales of assorted second-hand clothing
32 bales of second-hand shoes
5 bales of second-hand bags
But when RSL officers began inspecting the offloaded goods, they discovered a substantial quantity of undeclared items, including:
137 extra bales of clothing
197 extra bales of shoes
15 extra bales of bags
In total, 349 bales of goods had not been declared to customs raising serious red flags and constituting a clear violation of the Customs and Excise Act No. 10 of 1982 (as amended).
“These undeclared items represent a direct attempt to bypass the legal system and avoid paying the required taxes and duties,” RSL stated in a press release. “We immediately instructed that only the declared items be collected, while the undeclared bales were held back for further investigation.”
By the following day, Friday 4th July, the goods were officially seized and moved to the RSL warehouse, where they are currently being stored pending administrative processing. The importers now face a legal process that includes the payment of:
All outstanding customs duties
Value-Added Tax (VAT)
Financial penalties
RSL emphasised that failure to declare goods not only undermines the country’s revenue collection efforts but also disadvantages honest traders who follow the rules.
According to RSL, importers and traders must understand that full and accurate declaration of goods is not optional it’s the law, those who try to cheat the system will face penalties, delays, and possible loss of goods.
This latest operation highlights RSL’s continued commitment to cracking down on smuggling and tax evasion, ensuring a level playing field for all businesses operating in Lesotho.
As part of its ongoing efforts to promote fair trade and compliance, RSL has urged all importers to declare their goods honestly and engage in transparent practices. They warned that future violations will be met with the same strict enforcement.
The public is reminded that customs procedures exist not only to raise revenue for national development but also to protect legitimate businesses and the broader economy from unfair competition.
“Declare what you import—nothing more, nothing less,” RSL concluded.
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