Assistant Commissioner Walter Blankson
The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has warned importers intending to ship illicit drugs and uncustomed goods through Ghana’s ports to desist, insisting that enforcement agencies are fully prepared to clamp down on such activities.
The Western and Central Customs Sector Commander, Assistant Commissioner Walter Blankson, who issued the warning in an interview with journalists, declared, “We are ready for them.”
Meanwhile, the Security Manager at the Takoradi Harbour, Naval Captain Michael Duvor, has attributed the recent interception of a large consignment of illicit drugs at the Port of Takoradi to stringent security measures at the facility.
He said the success was also due to the port’s firm commitment to detecting undeclared goods in order to protect state revenue.
It will be recalled that Customs officials at the Takoradi Port recently intercepted a large consignment of suspected illicit drugs concealed in two 40-foot containers.
The interception followed an intelligence-led operation at the Atlantic Terminal Services Limited (ATSL) terminal.
The containers were initially declared to contain ceiling fans. However, the suspicious arrangement of the cargo prompted officers to alert their superiors.
The containers were subsequently fully unstuffed for thorough inspection.
The inspection was conducted with the support of multiple state agencies, including the Narcotics Control Commission, National Security, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Food and Drugs Authority, and the cargo declarant, Maxwell Boateng.
During the operation, officials uncovered an estimated 25 million tablets of suspected illicit Tapentadol and Timaking drugs hidden among cartons of ceiling fans.
The inspection also revealed thousands of undeclared electrical appliances.
The seized tablets have since been secured, with samples taken by a Customs Chemist for laboratory analysis.
The remaining items have been transferred to the State Warehouse in Takoradi, where they will be held pending further investigations.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi