The discovery of what Ministry of Finance officials have described as a “racket” involving duty-free vehicles has resulted in a probe that has left scores of eligible people awaiting approval since late last year.
It could also result in some bigwigs having to fork out thousands of dollars to satisfy the Customs and Excise Department.
SUNDAY SUN investigations revealed that the probe surrounds workers at foreign agencies based in Barbados who were entitled to purchase vehicles free of duty, some of whom had been apparently reselling them at market value as though they had been purchased at the duty-paid price, in breach of regulations, and pocketing the difference.
According to one source, at least 65 such applications have been tied up in the Ministry of Finance since November last year, upsetting scores of would-be beneficiaries as well as garage operators waiting to supply the vehicles.
