The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has detained 18 containers of ferrous metal scrap being prepared for export at the Tema Harbour.
The containers, according to customs officials, were mislabelled by the exporters and agents to outwit the authorities.
The operation that led to the detention of the containers was conducted on the orders of the Commissioner of Customs, Mr Wallace Akondor, following a tip off.
Mr Akondor explained that the containers, which were intercepted at the operational yard of Meridian Port Services (MPS), were being held to pave way for investigations to be conducted.
He said the division also intended to liaise with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to establish the true state of the metals.
The Ferrous Scrap Metals Prohibition of Export Regulations of 2013 (LI 2201) prohibits the exportation of ferrous scrap in any form.
In 2011, Customs impounded some 31 containers of metal scrap at the Tema Heavy Industrial Area.
Later, the Tema Customs Command, which was to auction the metals, discovered, to its amazement, that although the security seals on the seized containers were intact, the containers were empty.
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