CEPS impounds stolen vehicles

The Daily Graphic reports in a front-page banner headline story that the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) has impounded 100 vehicles at the Tema and Takoradi ports, suspected to have been stolen from abroad. Nii Okine Adjei, Commissioner of CEPS, who is said to have disclosed this in an interview in Accra, indicated that the Service will seek the assistance of the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to investigate the circumstances under which the vehicles were smuggled into Ghana.

He said the collaboration with the INTERPOL is necessary and worthwhile to ensure that the state does not become party to the stealing syndicate. The Graphic says that Nii Adjei explained that under normal circumstances, the vehicles should have been confiscated to the state outright because they were unmanifested. He said eight of the vehicles were impounded at the Takoradi Port while the rest were seized at Tema.

On the collaboration with the INTERPOL, the CEPS boss said that in some cases his organisation does not receive any response from the international police organisation and when no response is forthcoming the items are confiscated to the state.