Sale Of Customs Warehouse Goods In Cameroon
Goods that have not been removed within three months of their registration in the deposit register are sold by public auction.
Goods that are perishable or in poor condition may be sold immediately with the authorization of the competent judge.
Goods with a value of less than 200,000 Francs that are not removed within the expiry of the three-month period referred to above are deemed to have been considered as abandoned. The customs administration may sell them at public auction or donate them to hospitals, hospices or other charitable establishments.
The sale of goods is carried out by the customs administration to the highest and last bidder.
The goods are sold free of all customs duties and taxes, with the right for the successful bidder to dispose of them for all destinations authorized by the laws and regulations in force.
The proceeds of the sale are allocated in order of priority and in proportion to order of priority:
- a) The payment of costs and other incidental expenses of all kinds incurred by the customs authorities in the constitution and storage of goods, as well as in the sale of goods;
- b) The recovery of duties and taxes to which the goods are liable by virtue of the destination given to them.
Where the proceeds of the sale are sufficient, all other costs that may be incurred in connection with the goods, in particular storage costs, are settled.
Any remainder is deposited with the treasury, where it remains at the disposal of the owner of the goods or his assigns for two years. After this period, it is forfeited to the budget of the State in which the sale took place. However, if it is less than 80,000 Francs, the remainder is immediately credited to the budget of the same State.
Where the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to settle the claims listed above, the sums obtained are deposited with the treasury and distributed, where appropriate, in accordance with the procedure for distribution by contribution, at the discretion of the administration.
In the event of a dispute, the competent judge is the magistrate of the place of deposit.
