Customs impounds truckload of wax prints in BA

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has impounded a truck loaded with about 20,000 pieces of wax prints at Gonnokrom, near Dormaa Ahenkro, for evading duty.

The owners of the consignment are to pay Gh¢600,000 in addition to the initial duty liability of Gh¢600,000 as penalty.

Three officers of the service (names withheld) have been interdicted for the alleged roles they played in aiding the owners of the consignment to evade the payment of duty.

The truck, with registration number AW 6026-11, was intercepted by the Taskforce Unit of the Preventive Unit of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority on October 30, this year.

Intelligence

A source told the Daily Graphic that the taskforce from the Customs Head Office in Accra acted on intelligence it gathered and intercepted the truck that was heading towards Kumasi from Gonnokrom in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The source said when the truck was impounded, examination was conducted on the items on board to determine how much duty its owners ought to have paid to the state.

"They failed to pay duty on the wax prints and the total duty was GH¢600,000,” it said, adding that the clearing agent, identified as Blessed Yako Ltd, had been invited to assist with investigations.

Interdicted officers

It added that the three affected officers had been asked to hand over all Customs property in their possession to the sector commander before proceeding on their interdiction.

They were also assisting with investigations, the source added.

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