The General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) collected more than $752 million state revenues in the first six month of the year, an increase of 17.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2014, according to a statement from the GDCE.

The growth was attributed to the reforms carried out by Customs and Excise officials according to custom and excise collection strategies and the medium term reform and modernized program of custom collection 2014-2018, said Kun Nhem, director general of the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, as quoted in local media.

Welcoming the increase in revenue, Aun Porn Moniroth, Economy and Finance Minister attributed the gains to stronger management in the department, improvements in customs officer’s performance and the use of technology to better manage collection efforts.

Greater enforcement among officers to curb illegal smuggling had also contributed to increased revenues, he said.

But Yem Ponhearith, opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmaker, said yesterday that revenues should be greater and more needed to be done to clamp down on corruption.

“The reduction of corruption has driven the growth in custom and excise collection.

However, there are still lack of mechanism to effectively collect revenue from in custom and excise, especially at the border,” he said.

“Corruption at the borders happens in various ways.

It is either businesses are backed by powerful government officials to avoid tax or not paying according to the rate the imported products are supposed to be paid for,” he said.