Audio By Carbonatix
The National Security outfit is set to delve into how Customs officers at Elubo in the Western Region allowed an alleged rice smuggler to bring into Ghana 12 articulated trucks and two cargo trucks of "Uncle Sam" rice.
The move by the security apparatus was necessitated by the fact that the government has since November 1, 2013 placed a fiat on the importation of rice through the country's land borders.
With the fiat, rice could only be imported through the Tema port, Takoradi Harbour and the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Importing the staple food through any other place is therefore illegal.
It has been alleged that one Hayssam Haroun of Kaprace Limited colluded with the Elubo Custom officers to backdate the period the rice was imported from the Ivory Coast.
Four of the 12 trucks had been released by the Customs at Elubo and were on their way to Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.
The trucks are heading to Kumasi, Sunyani and Accra markets.
A highly placed security source gave some of the numbers of the articulated trucks as CR 1012 09, WR 1433 X, AS 7007 V, all from Ghana.
The rest were 129 E1601, 1567 FC 01, 3432 EN, 0411 LL 7540, 4806 EE 01, 11 NN 2992, all from Ivory Coast.
The security source told The Enquirer that the smuggler went to the extent of under-declaring the alleged smuggled goods.
It is widely suspected that the trucks would be coming from Elubo in batches of four.
There has been a huge brouhaha about how certain importers of rice were smuggling the product through land borders and paying little duty.
It was alleged that the importers even colluded with Customs officials to under declare their consignment.
The government, therefore, thought it wise to place a fiat on importation of rice through land borders to maximize revenue.
Latest Stories
-
‘If Flick hadn’t come, I would have left Barca’ – Raphinha
9 minutes -
Real Madrid stunned by second division Albacete in Copa del Rey
10 minutes -
Amateur stuns world’s best Jannik Sinner to win A$1m in Melbourne
28 minutes -
FBI searches home of Washington Post reporter in classified documents probe
60 minutes -
Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries
1 hour -
UK–Ghana crack down on immigration crime as fugitive smuggler jailed
1 hour -
Ghana’s Benjamin Arhin shines on Internacional debut with Man of the Match display
1 hour -
Stanbic Bank Ghana maintain top rank in Customer Experience Leadership in 2025 KPMG Assessment
2 hours -
Newmont-backed AI smart lab powers Kona D/A students to victory at Ghana Robotics CompetitionÂ
2 hours -
Venezuelan acting president says hundreds of prisoners have been released since December
2 hours -
Nilex Suites holds first open house ahead of official launch
2 hours -
We’re far from Ofori-Atta’s extradition – Frank Davies responds to Ablakwa
3 hours -
Judicial Service, Finance Ministry summoned ahead of JUSAG strike
3 hours -
Takoradi Port to receive largest bulk carrier ever to berth in West Africa
4 hours -
Mane hits winner as Senegal end Salah’s Afcon bid
4 hours
