Customs impounds truck carrying ethyl alcohol at Techiman

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has impounded a cargo truck carrying 45 uncustomed drums of ethyl alcohol at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The 45 drums were concealed in a truck with the registration number, AS 5135 X.

Officials from the Brong Ahafo Regional headquarters of the Customs Division effected the arrest upon a tip-off that the vehicle was moving from Wenchi to Techiman.
The state would have lost about GH¢35,000 had the owner of the consignment succeeded in outwitting officials of the Customs Division of the GRA.

Briefing

The Brong Ahafo Sector Commander of the Customs Division, Assistant Commissioner Seidu Yakubu, said the alcohol was concealed in 107 drums to avoid payment of duty.

He said the truck, which was impounded at about 1.30 pm last Wednesday, was escorted to Sunyani and a thorough search was conducted.

The commander said the driver, Samuel Manu, gave conflicting explanations on where he was coming from and the actual number of drums containing the alcohol.

Alcohol, according to Mr Yakubu, was one of the goods that attracted high level duties and as such traders always adopted all sorts of tactics to evade the payment of duties .

He stated that the owner of the goods was supposed to pay GH¢35,000 in addition to 300 per cent penalty before the vehicle would be released to him.

Appeal

While thanking the informants for their patriotism, the commander appealed to Ghanaians to assist his outfit by always volunteering information on the activities of smugglers.

“We should not allow few people to derail the development of our country by denying us of the needed revenue to finance projects,” he said.