SARS detector dogs intercept billions in illegal goods, saving R1.7billion annually

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has revealed that South Africa’s customs detector dog unit is helping to protect an estimated R1.7 billion

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has revealed that South Africa’s customs detector dog unit is helping to protect an estimated R1.7 billion in revenue each year by intercepting illegal goods before they can enter the economy.

The minister revealed this in a written parliamentary reply after Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Wendy Alexander asked what contribution the unit has made to customs revenue protection and whether capacity shortfalls were affecting enforcement outcomes.

Godongwana said the South African Revenue Service’s detector dog unit has protected between R1.4 billion and R2 billion in revenue each year over the past three financial years.

He added that each working detector dog is linked to about R30 million in protected revenue per year, based on average performance.