Tamale, Ho Customs intercept fungicides, Indian hemp
The Tamale Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has intercepted 4,000 kilogrammes of fungicides at Sanguli close to the Ghana-Togo border in the Tatale-Sanguli District in the Northern Region.
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The fungicides, which were meant for distribution to cocoa farmers - mostly in the southern sector, were concealed in sacks and kept in the bush.
No arrests had been made as at the time of filing this report.
The Northern Regional Sector Commander of the Customs Division of the GRA, Assistant Commissioner Seth Dwira, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale yesterday that the fungicides were kept in the bush to be smuggled to nearby Togo.
He said the fungicides, which had bold inscriptions of “Not for Sale” on them, had since been handed over to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
Patrols
Mr Dwira said the fungicides were found by personnel of the division who had gone on a routine patrol of the area.
He noted that the command had stepped up its patrols at the various frontiers and customs checkpoints to arrest smugglers whom he described as “economic saboteurs”.
“We will not allow these economic saboteurs to rip the country off revenue needed for development,” Mr Dwira said.
Ho interception
In a related development, Tim Dzamboe reports that the Ho Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has intercepted 2,172 slabs of a substnace suspected to be Indian hemp at the Honuta border post in the Ho West District in the Volta Region.
Four suspects have been arrested.
The suspects are: the owner of the vehicle, Wahab Abdulai; the driver, Mohammed Umaru; Stephen Avega and Evans Isahaku.
The illegal consignment was being conveyed in a KIA truck with registration number GE 1782-11 from Kpeve towards the Republic of Togo.
Wrong declaration
The Assistant Commissioner of Customs in charge of the Ho sector, Mr Frank Cudjoe Ashong, told journalists in Ho last Monday that the vehicle pulled up at the border post at 8.15 a.m. last Sunday with the items declared as local rice.
He said upon a thorough check by customs officers, it was discovered that the consignment was the 2,172 slabs of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp concealed in 85 bags.
Mr Ashong said the four suspects, who were on board the vehicle were arrested and handed over to the Narcotics Control Board together with the intercepted substance for further investigation in Accra.