CEPS destroys over 100 million counterfeit cigarettes

Accra, Nov. 2, GNA - The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) on Thursday completed the destruction of more than 100 million counterfeit cigarettes seized at the Tema port in July last year. The cigarettes that bore the Philip Morris International trademark - Marlboro - were seized in shipping containers in transit at the Tema Port.

The cigarettes had been shipped from China. But the documentation for the containers claimed the contents were "sports shoes". They were intended for onward shipment to Europe.

Each container-load of the cigarettes was believed to have a street value of 20 million dollars. The seizure was the second largest in the world and the first largest for Africa.

Briefing the media at the destruction site at Kpone, Mr Harry Owusu, Executive Secretary of the Revenue Agencies Governing Board (RAGB) said CEPS, as a member of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) was enjoined by international convention and protocols to intercept and destroy such goods.

He said, Ghana did not want to go against those international conventions on trade; hence it had the duty to stop the smuggling of counterfeited and pirated products.

The RAGB Boss said till date no one had been arrested for the shipment, because it was difficult to know who owned the 16 containers. However, a clearing agent sent the CEPS to court over two of the containers, claiming he was the one processing the transhipment documents on behalf of the owners.

Mr Owusu said Ghana's primary interest was to arrest the illicit products to send a clear warning to those involved in the activity that Ghana would not tolerate the use of its infrastructure in the global counterfeit chain.

The event was witnessed by personnel of various security agencies, officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drugs Board, diplomats and representatives of Philip Morris International.

As a sign of goodwill, CEPS and Philip Morris after the destruction signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fight illicit trade in cigarettes.

The MOU provides for information sharing on suspected counterfeit shipments, technical training for personnel of CEPS on up to date scientific methods of detection, scanning of containers, and external communication on counterfeit materials.

Mr Emmanuel Doku, Commissioner of CEPS who signed for the service said the signing of the MOU attached credence to CEPS's efforts at eradicating the menace of cigarette smuggling.

He emphasised that manufacturers and producers of counterfeit cigarettes would not simply "go to sleep" after the destruction exercise but find more sophisticated means to perpetuate their nefarious activities, adding that the exercise should embolden the relevant authorities to resolve and nib the criminal activities in the bud. Mr Thierno Diallo, Country Representative of Philip Morris expressed gratitude to the authorities in Ghana for the destruction of the illegal cigarettes, saying, "This sends a strong message about Ghana's commitment to address this serious issue".

He said the destruction of seized cigarettes was the only way to ensure that inferior quality products did not make their way back to the legitimate supply chain and into the possession of unsuspecting adult smokers.

Mr. Diallo noted that cooperation was the best way to address the issue, and pledged that the company would continue to cooperate to the fullest extent possible with the authorities in Ghana to ensure success in the fight against counterfeiting. 02 Nov. 06