THE office of Customs and Excise at Phnom Penh International Airport will begin fining import-export company officials for improperly filling out paperwork on August 1, according to officials.

The fines come as the result of companies incorrectly filling in forms, wasting officials’ time and causing a loss of tax revenue, said airport Customs and Excise Director Khiev Sam An yesterday.

“I will fine those who repeatedly do it wrong,” he said yesterday.

Finable offences include incorrect registration, not registering for applicable tax levies, and forgetting to fill in the paperwork, according to an announcement from Friday.

Fines range from 100,000 riel to 500,000 riel, it said.

Khiev Sam An added the announcement was made with permission from the General Department of Customs, claiming fine revenues would be considered part of the state budget.

“I hope with the announcement, [companies] will do the right thing,” he said.

However, industry insiders reckoned there should be some room given for error given the large requirement for paperwork.

Cambodian Freight Forwarders Association Executive Director Sin Chanty said that small mistakes were nearly unavoidable given the large number of documents that needed to be completed.

“It is easy to be wrong, and customs officials should have some understanding,” he said.

Officials from the General Department of Customs and Excise could not be reached for comment yesterday.