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The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has detained an additional 25 containers suspected to be carrying banned ferrous metal scraps. The division last Friday, August 1, detained some 18 containers of the banned product being prepared to be smuggled from the Tema Harbour. That brings the total number of detained containers to 43. The division is also holding the agents who worked on the documentations covering the containers to assist in investigations. According to the Commissioner of Customs, Mr Wallace Akondor, the latest interception followed intelligence report received by the division. He told the Daily Graphic that the agent for the exporter was also assisting the division with its investigations. "Our preliminary investigations, coupled with laboratory analysis carried out by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), revealed the items to be ferrous metals", Mr Akondor said. "We are working closely with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to auction the content of the containers to the local steel industry after the 30-day detention period elapses", the commissioner said. On criminal prosecution of the agents and exporters for violating the Ferrous Scrap Metals Prohibition of Export Regulations of 2013, LI 2201, Mr Akondor stated that since that fell within the domain of the ministry, the customs division could only hand over the culprits on the ministry's request. Mislabelled containers The detained containers were mislabelled as cullets (recycled broken or waste glass used in glass-making) by the exporters to outwit officials. Following intelligence reports, the commissioner ordered for detention notices on the containers to pave the way for the conduct of investigations. Mr Akondor expressed the hope that the steps being taken by the customs division would go to dissuade recalcitrant exporters who were still in the business of smuggling the banned products out of the country.