Clearing agents have been cautioned to be circumspect and professional in their dealings with importers in order not to be used as unsuspecting accomplices to illegalities such as the importation of contraband goods into the country.

Speaking on Eye on Port on Security at Ghana’s ports, the National Security Liaison at the Port of Tema, Sub. Lt Christian Kofi Tettey said it is in the best interest of clearing agents to scrutinize the documents pertaining to imported cargoes and verify them.

“For the agent, you have to ensure that what your client is bringing in is good, else you will suffer the consequences of it,” he said.

According to him, with agents serving as representatives of importers, when an interception of contraband cargo is made in the port, and there is difficulty in retrieving the importer, the agent would be the point of contact for investigations until they trace the actual importer.

Speaking on the same program, the Chief Revenue Officer in charge of Preventive at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Dunstan Ayamga, emphasized the need for innocent clearing agents to know the identities and genuine addresses of their clients, so that in the case of investigations of this magnitude, they can help security officials bust these importers and relieve themselves.

“Sometimes it is very risky. Somebody brings a declaration to you, and you have not even done the necessary checks? Sometimes they don’t even know the owner. You should be able to find a way,” he expressed.

These recommendations were given to address some viewers of the program’s concerns of the time news of contraband goods intercepted at the port are made public.

According to a contributor to the program, publicizing the news of such events may enable the consignee to abscond and consequently leave the clearing agent to his or her fate.

The National Security Liaison at the Port of Tema, Sub. Lt Christian Kofi Tettey, indicated that investigations are done in a discreet manner to ensure that word does not get out prematurely to aid in the fleeing of the importer of such contraband goods.

“If you bring it to the public domain, the likelihood that the importer will runaway is very high so we do our background works to locate where the person is first,” he said.

Recently in early October, a container which was said to contain personal effects, household goods, and a carding machine, was flagged as ‘Red Channel”, and after physical examination, 18 packages identified as restricted items were found in the container. These include 436 Pistols (Side Arms), 26 packs of 50 pieces of Ammunition, and 40ml piece of Pepper Spray.

Similarly, in late September, the state security apparatus working at the port collaboratively intercepted a 152-kilogram package suspected to be cocaine.

According to the security officials at the port, investigations are currently advanced, for the appropriate prosecution to take place.