2 Held Over Arms Importation

The Marine Police Unit (MPU) in Tema is holding two persons to assist in investigations into three bags containing 61 pieces of foreign arms concealed in personal effects at the Tema Port.
Asmin Abdulai Alhassan and Eric Nana Amissah, both believed to be in their 30s, are said to be the purported recipients of the cache of arms imported from Turkey.

Preventive officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority stationed at Terminal Three of the Tema Port made the discovery about 10 a.m. last Saturday.

The officials found the cache during a physical inspection of the 40-footer container holding the items.

The container, sources at the port said, failed the risk assessment regime during the scanning process, which subsequently placed it on the Red Channel, necessitating the need for the physical examination of the cargo by Customs officials.

They said officials of the Tema Command of Customs had since presented a report on the incident to the Commissioner of Customs, while they await police investigations.

Situational report

A situational report issued by the police on Sunday night and sighted by the Daily Graphic stated that the said container was imported from Turkey to Ghana by a Turkey-based shipper, one Emmanuel Owusu Ansah.

Initial investigations, it said, indicated that the importers had no import authorisation licence from the Ministry of the Interior covering the arms.

“The container and its content were billed to be received by Asmin and Nana Amissah, and the last person herein was in Turkey and supposedly own parts of the goods.

The arms have been seized and stored by Customs at the Customs Armoury in Tema under permanent armed police guard,” the police report said.

The Crime Officer of the MPU, Assistant Superintendent of Police John Quayson, declined to speak on the issue, except to say that the police, through their Director of Public Affairs, would issue a statement on the incident.

Source: graphiconline.com