MORE than 1,200 bags of rice smuggled through unapproved entry points along Ghana’s western corridor have been intercepted at Esiama in the Western Region.
The offence, which was allegedly committed by some local importers, with the connivance of some officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), was uncovered by a joint team of the National Security and the GRA.
A member of the team told the Daily Graphic that after the goods had been seized, the Secretary of the Head Load Importers Association at Elubo, Mr Kwadwo Solomon, offered the team a GH¢2,500 bribe but the leader declined and ordered the arrest of the smugglers.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the arrest, an official of the GRA, Mr E.O. Mills, said two of the three trucks had been moved to the Western Regional Police Command, awaiting officials of the GRA in Accra to re-examine the goods for further action.
He said the quantity declared on customs documents covering the consignment was 400 bags, when the actual quantity was more than 1,200 bags.
The goods were jointly examined and signed by customs officials whose names were indicated on the documents as N. Quayson, Augustine Appiah, P.K. Kumapley and one Mr Asiedu.
He explained that the original document indicating that the truck, with registration number WR 1525 P, was carrying 400 bags and attached, was given to another truck, with the registration number AS 3371 Y, with a different consignment.
He said a third truck, also carrying close to 350 bags, had no document at all.
Mr Mills said for some time now revenue from the Elubo entry point kept dwindling and as a result the GRA decided to carry out an investigation, only to discover that importers were engaged in massive smuggling, with the connivance of customs officials who were supposed to be checking them.
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