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The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in Tamale has intercepted a Kia Truck carrying 550 gallons (jerry cans) of vegetable cooking oil suspected to have been smuggled from Togo through an unapproved route into Tamale.

Based on a tip-off, the consignment was intercepted last Thursday, at Savelugu on the Tamale-Nanton road by a team of officers led by Mr Gabriel Ahiankui, a Revenue Assistant.

Briefing

Briefing the Daily Graphic in Tamale, the Sector Commander of the Customs Division of the GRA, acting Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Customs Mr David Y. Binyam, said based on the tip-off, some GRA officers at Savelugu laid ambush along the Tamale-Nanton road.

He said at about 4 p.m., the officers spotted a Kia Truck emerging from the direction of Nanton.

Mr Binyam said when the vehicle was stopped and searched, it was found to be carrying gallons of Family Vegetable Cooking Oil suspected to have been smuggled into the country through an unapproved route at Nanton.

The sector commander said the officers subsequently impounded the vehicle and escorted it to the regional GRA office for investigations.

He said a thorough examination of the goods at the GRA office revealed that the vehicle was carrying 550 gallons of Family Vegetable Cooking Oil.

Vigilance

Mr Binyam commended the officers for the arrest and seizure of the goods and said the command would deploy officers to undertake frequent patrols along the unapproved smuggling route at Nanton.

He advised smugglers to put a stop to their activities, adding that “the GRA is going to intensify its patrols and anyone arrested for smuggling will be made to face the law”.

He encouraged importers who brought goods into the country by road through the Northern Region to call at the office of the GRA and voluntarily declare the goods in their possession and pay the required revenue involved.

“The GRA office in Tamale is open to people who import into the country by road through the Northern Region, so come and declare goods voluntarily and pay the necessary revenue involved.

"We have good customer relations and so importers should not entertain any fears when they come to us, otherwise we will continue to chase you to do the right thing," he said.

Mr Binyam further cautioned that those who were caught smuggling would not only be made to pay the tax on the goods but they would also be made to pay a heavy penalty for the offence.