There is a standoff at the Western Border tonight between the Border Management Agency and cargo importers. The dispute is over new fees that were introduced at the border this morning. The importers say the new fees have been arbitrarily imposed because they were not directly informed and that they're being forced to pay something for nothing. And it's resulted in a standoff where trucks are lined up but are not crossing the border.
The greatest uproar is over a new $50 fee that is being charged for cargo trucks just passing through. Previously, those attracted no charges. Of course, while the standoff continues, charges on the parked trucks continue to mount.
We were unable to reach anyone at the Western BMA for comment.
Tags
Border Management Agency
Western Border
