The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) has signed a ten-year contract with authentication solutions company Authentix, under the terms of which Authentix will provide a marketplace governance programme to BURS for the digital marking and tracking of tobacco and alcohol products.

This is described as a digital tax stamp programme aimed at preventing illicit trade and counterfeits while also ensuring that citizens receive genuine and safe products.

The new digital track and trace system will, Authentix says, boost tax revenue collections levied on manufacturers and importers by increasing industry compliance, reducing illicit trade, and preventing the underreporting of volumes. The new contract covers the marking and digital tracking of an estimated 500 million product units per year.

AuthentixTransAct, a secure SaaS-based IT data platform, along with direct printing of secure, serialized digital product codes, will combine to form what is described as a high-security digital tracking and enforcement solution.

The system will, says Authentix, reduce and deter fraudulent activities – protecting the public from the harmful effects of contraband and ensuring a level playing field for all legitimate industry stakeholders. 

The countrywide programme will encompass implementation, training, technical support, hardware installation, ongoing maintenance and programme management provided by the Authentix-Botswana Operations Office.

Authentix provides advanced authentication solutions for governments, central banks, and commercial products. Authentix Marketplace Governance programmes have, the company says, helped ensure the authentication and traceability of products while recovering billions of dollars in tax revenue.

Authentix has offices in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, Asia and Africa.