A three-man diesel cargo truck containing smuggled cooking oil at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout in Accra has been seized.

The trucks were seized by a joint task force led by the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA).

The joint taskforce comprises members from the TCDA, the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG), the Ghana Revenue Authority—Customs Division, and National Security.

The task force and personnel from the Customs Preventive Division escorted the three trucks to the airport branch for an official examination.

The owners of the seized cooking oil have been asked to provide all necessary documentation for a thorough review by the Ghana Revenue Authority—Customs Division.

Speaking with the media, the leader of the taskforce, Dr. Paul Amaning, said National Security operatives received intelligence about the vegetable oil being smuggled into the country from Togo.

He stated that the seized oil was brought in through unapproved routes to evade taxes and import duties.

He said the smuggling activities represent a significant loss to criminal syndicates trying to bypass legal channels.

He further noted that the taskforce’s mission is to ensure that locally manufactured cooking oils are sold in the market to boost the economy and create jobs within the value chain.

Meanwhile, he has warned the public, particularly market women, to refrain from smuggling vegetable oil through land borders into the country.