Garoua: Customs recommits to combat fraud, contraband.

It brought together customs officers and business operators, partners, as well as representatives from the National Agency for Standards and Quality, ANOR, and the National Shippers Council, CNCC.

Speaking during the event, the Head of the North Customs Sector, Raymond Touagai, gave an assessment of the devastation caused by fraud and smuggling.

Touagai said these practices have led to loss of revenue for the treasury, created unfair competition for local businesses, undermined investment and the destruction of jobs and is a direct threat to the safety and health of the population.

To tackle the threats, Touagai said the Northern Customs Sector is strengthening its strategy.

“The North Customs Sector remains fully committed to supporting this campaign, stepping up surveillance, improving the handling of goods, and intensifying collaboration with law enforcement agencies, economic operators and transporters, because a national threat calls for a national response,” Touagai noted.

Referring to the World Customs Organisation’s 2026 theme: “A Customs Service that protects society through vigilance and commitment”, Touagai called for an effective united front.

“We must therefore all, each in our own capacity, play our part in the effective and vigorous fight against fraud and the smuggling of alcoholic beverages and frozen foods,” he said. 

Touagai enjoined partners, economic operators, transporters and customs officers to join forces through “concrete, achievable and implementable measures to reduce fraud and smuggling”. 

He said he was convinced that this will greatly help “to restore the conditions for healthy and fair competition and, thereby, ensuring public health and safety”.

Synergy key to success

The head of the delegation for the awareness campaign, Commander Hugues Cyriaque Kuetche, welcomed the massive mobilisation of economic operators, transporters and institutional partners.

According to Kuetche, their presence demonstrates an awareness of the persistent danger threatening the competitiveness of wealth-creating enterprises.

Kuetche reaffirmed that the combined protection of the economic, commercial and public health spheres is an absolute priority. 

The success of this collective battle, Kuetche added, is key to enabling Cameroon to reach new heights of prosperity.

Devastating impacts of the black market

The representative of Boissons du Cameroun, Barthélémy Bounzia, presented an alarming assessment of the impact of illicit networks on licensed or exclusively authorised beverages.

According to Bounzia, smuggling leads to job losses and unfair price competition; losses in tax and customs revenue; disruption to distribution networks and the destabilisation of production chains; major health risks; and damage to the reputation of genuine brands.

To combat the phenomenon, the SABC official said they have provided specific guidance on how to easily recognise genuine SABC products.

For example, genuine 33 Export beer tins, they said, are white, whilst counterfeit tins are green. Similarly, genuine bottles of spirits and wine bear an SABC label and logo. Counterfeit products do not feature these labels or the SABC logo.

The proceedings concluded with a strong recommendation to roll out a community-based awareness campaign, widely publicised by the media, in order to raise awareness directly amongst the local population.

Campaign moves to Adamawa today

It should be recalled that the awareness-raising campaign targeting customs officers and economic operators will continue to the Adamawa Region.

This strategic roll-out, it was disclosed, will bring to an end the large-scale tour to the North. Economic stakeholders and customs officials from the Adamawa Region begin meeting today. The two-day gathering ends tomorrow. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3912 of Thursday September 17, 2026