Advertisement

Kumasi Customs office intercepts smuggled goods

The two trucks loaded with the smuggled goods at the Customs headquarters in Kumasi. PICTURE BY KWAME ASARE BOADUThe Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority in Kumasi has intercepted two big trucks fully loaded with smuggled goods from Togo.

Officials said the goods, which included canned Malta Guinness drinks, footwear, sounds systems, and wax prints, constituted perhaps the biggest arrest made by the Kumasi Customs office.

A quantity of banned chemicals and aphrodisiacs  were also found in the trucks.

As of Monday evening, officials were yet to complete the computation of the cost of the goods and the tax element.

One of the trucks that had been examined had goods worth GH¢98,000 with a tax element of GH¢52.309.

Briefing the media in Kumasi, the Kumasi Sector Commander of the Customs Division, Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Alhaji Awudu Osman, said following a tip-off, officials intercepted the trucks at Ejisu last Thursday evening.

The goods, which were being transported from Togo were to be delivered in Kumasi.

Alhaji Osman said the owners of the goods were yet to be identified.

The sector commander said the owners had only 30 days to pay the tax on the goods and the penalty, which was thrice the tax element.

If they fail to pay the total cost involved after the stipulated period, the Customs Division would go ahead to confiscate the goods after which they would be gazetted, auctioned and the proceeds paid into government chest.

Alhaji Osman said the Customs Division had a reward package for informants and, therefore, called on the public to volunteer information for the arrest of smugglers.

Cautioning the public against tax evasion, he said the law would not spare anyone who took that path.

By Kwame Asare Boadu/Daily Graphic/Ghana

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |