CEPS intercepts cocaine at Tema port

Tema (Greater Accra) 27 May '99

The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and security personnel at Tema harbour have intercepted seven kilograms of a substance believed to be cocaine, concealed in a 20-footer sea container of rice shipped from Surinam, in South America.

Three parcels of the substance estimated at over 100,000 dollars depending on its purity, were found concealed in three of the 400 bags of rice brought in by EMBT Asia.

Investigations conducted by journalists at "Saga Ghana Limited", local agents for EMBT Asia, indicated that the rice was consigned to Karl Hans" Rice Import and Export Company of Accra North.

The ship's manifest named F. O. Lachmann of Sugre Exp. No. 17, N.W. Charlesburgweg, Paramaribo, Surinam as the shipper.

Mr Robert Kwami, Assistant Commissioner of Customs told a press conference at Tema that the container, which arrived at the Port on March 28, was intercepted based on intelligence information.

Mr Kwami said nobody has come forward to claim the rice, which has been placed on the uncleared cargo list (UCL).

This normally applies to goods, which stay in the port for more than 21 days.

Mr Emmanuel Thompson-Addo, Deputy Managing Director for Finance and Administration of SAGA Limited, said nobody has approached the company to clear the rice.

He said the company could not be held responsible since they cannot know that some of the containers are stuffed with drugs.

"The impression that, as a company, we are in active connivance for such crimes is wrong. We are not in any business to ruin this country", Mr Thompson-Addo said.

Mr Thompson-Addo said as a company, Saga does not like what is happening and it is being vigilant since it seems to be giving the company a bad name in Ghana.