Hundreds of armoured vehicles have evaded customs, and plying the road illegally. An investigation:
Information provided by the directorate of customs shows that 2,575 armoured vehicles have been imported officially through Afghan dry ports since 2007. Four hundred and eight that were smuggled in were tracked down and some of the owners have paid taxes to the government since 2014.
However, in official records only 1,420 armoured vehicles have the necessary permit from the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoI) to use public roads. The rest, consequently, are illegally on the road. MoI officials say the number of armoured vehicles plying in special areas without permits run into the hundreds. The government has evidence that these are used in criminal activities, and has been monitoring the movement of these strongly-built armoured vehicles.
Moreover, from information given to Killid there are 1,816 armoured vehicles that were “exempted of taxes” on import.
Armoured vehicles are used in combat when they are armed. In Afghanistan, it has been very important for both the government as well as its armed opponents. Thousands were imported by NATO for its mission in Afghanistan called ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), which ended in 2014. Permission for the import is only given by the Ministry of Interior Affairs. According to the ministry’s counter terrorism department, only two persons are authorised to permit the import of armoured vehicles: the minister of interior affairs and the deputy minister.
Rules and regulations
Najib Aman, head of the counter terrorism department, confirms all armoured vehicles, whether for the government or foreign organisations, have to secure a permit for import and permit for usage once the vehicle is cleared by customs.
There is a list of individuals who are permitted to travel in armoured vehicles for their personal safety. These include members of Parliament and the Senate on official duty, diplomats in foreign embassies and also of the United Nations, coalition forces of NATO and ISAF in Afghanistan, and commercial and transport companies that have a permit from the ministries of commerce, transport and foreign affairs to provide logistics services for coalition troops and big corporations. Apart from this, jihadist leaders, eminent personalities, high-profile officials including bankers and wealthy traders who face threats to their lives can seek permission to import armoured vehicles.
Over the past two years, some 408 armoured vehicles were impounded for not possessing documents from the customs office. The vehicles were smuggled in without completing the process published in gazette number 894, dated 2006. Under its article 7, owners of vehicles can be fined 200,000 Afs (3,000 USD) in cash to get it back. Failure to pay means they forfeit their vehicle.
Najib Aman of the counter terrorism department says the fine has been strictly enforced. On Oct 24, the presidency of customs office published its third list of defaulters on its website. Six months earlier in March this year, the previous list was published. The repeated public reminders indicate some owners are not ready to register their vehicles. The general presidency of customs office has not revealed who the owners are or how much the fine and registration amount is, but Aman, head of counter terrorism in the Ministry of Interior Affairs told Killid each vehicle would set the owner back by 30,000 to 60,000 USD. The cost of the permit to drive vehicles issued by the Ministry of Interior Affairs is 30,000 Afs (450 USD) for foreigners and 20,000 Afs (300 USD) for Afghans.
The authorities in the Ministry of Interior Affairs are also concerned about the link between crime and illegal armoured vehicles. Two years ago, security forces arrested five people who were equipped with armored vehicles and wearing police uniforms plotting to attack the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Sayed Mahboob Sadat, director general of Kabul traffic, says that all armoured vehicles are brought to Kabul traffic for registration after verification by the Ministry of Finance and counter corruption department.
Since 2011, the government has earned 796 million Afs (12 million USD) from armoured vehicles.
There are also companies that rent out armoured vehicles. The Ministry of Interior Affairs has given permits to 18 such companies. They in turn have to keep the ministry updated on the movement of vehicles, who it was rented out to and for what duration.
Tax exemption
Based on figures shared by the general presidency of customs office, some 1,816 armoured vehicles out of 2,575 that have entered the country since 2007 are exempted from tax.
These were imported for international forces as well as for government establishments. Were some of the permits for armoured vehicle imports illegally diverted for private purposes?
Ahmad Reshad Popal, director general of customs dismisses the allegation. The papers of no commercial or private armoured vehicle have been processed by custom offices, he says. He asserts the procedure for import is meticulously followed.
