Customs arrests fuel smugglers at Aflao

Aflao (V/R), April 6, GNA - Officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at Aflao have intercepted 32 gallons of petrol being smuggled by sea to Lome, Togo. Leonard Sumahla, 30, one of two suspects involved has been arrested and handed over to the police at Aflao together with the exhibits for further investigations.

Sumahla and an accomplice were swimming at sea with petrol containers fastened to their bodies. The accomplice however escaped arrest.

Mr Emmanuel Impraim, Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in charge of the Aflao collection told the GNA that his men on preventive duty near the border spotted some strange objects at sea at about 1800 hours on April 2 this year and took them for fishermen at sea. He said a closer observation revealed they were human beings swimming with gallons tied to their bodies. Mr Impraim said CEPS men chased the smugglers and arrested Sumahla. He cautioned that security agencies along the frontier were alert against fuel smugglers who were taking advantage of lower fuel prices in the country to smuggle them out. He blamed fuel dealers operating in the area saying they continued to ignore orders not to sell fuel to people in containers. 6 April 09