The Customs Administration has scored a massive win in June this year, boasting a 16% increase in revenue collection and beating their plan by 3.77%. They raked in around 134 million euros, which is a whopping 18.26 million more than June last year. Import VAT jumped nearly 18%, and excise tax collection rose by 11%. In the first half of the year, customs collected over 1.2 billion euros, almost 10% more than the same period last year. Sounds like a victory parade, right? But hold your horses! While customs is popping champagne over these numbers, weapon smuggling is still running rampant. Just at the end of June, customs officers caught 27 air rifles hidden in a van on the Šabac-Loznica road. The driver and co-driver were arrested, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Weapon smuggling remains a serious threat to security and lawfulness in the region. Is it possible that customs can fill the budget but still fail to stop these dangerous crimes? Clearly, revenue growth is only part of the story; the fight against smuggling needs to be stepped up. Think this is just boring stats? Think again! This battle affects our safety and daily lives. So, what do you think — can customs be both a revenue hero and a smuggling buster? Drop a comment, maybe we’ll find a solution or at least a funny story about customs officers and their wild adventures!
