The Customs Monitoring Team stationed at the Eastern Corridor has intercepted a significant quantity of contraband consisting of 11,200 pieces of wax prints and 6,000 mobile devices, which had been illicitly brought into the country by a group of traders.

The customs officials uncovered this smuggling operation in response to an attempt to under-declare the value of these goods, effectively evading the associated duties and taxes.

The wax prints were apprehended at the Dabala border post located in the Volta Region. These confiscations were made during routine spot checks carried out by officials from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

In the case of the wax prints, the evasion of taxes amounted to GH¢1.3 million. The separate operation at the Juapong Check Point led to the interception of the 6,000 mobile phones and tablets, the value of which is currently under evaluation.

The leader of the Eastern Corridor Monitoring Team, Dari Abdallah, provided insight into the scale of these smuggling activities.

He revealed that the declared goods had been entered into the country with a declared value of only GH¢25,000, despite containing more than 11,000 pieces of the concealed wax prints. This glaring discrepancy prompted the interception of the goods by customs officials.

The second in command at the Aflao Border Check Point, Emmanuel Parker, touched on the challenges faced by officials stationed along the border.

He revealed the need for increased resources to support the work of border personnel in tracking down traders who seek to evade their tax obligations.

Mr. Parker further emphasised the porosity of certain border areas and the heightened need for enhanced patrols to address these vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is currently evaluating the evasion of duties and taxes by the traders. This assessment will determine the penalties and duties owed for this unlawful activity.