Over C100 million lost through smuggling - CEPS

The State lost 108.8 million cedis through tax evasion and smuggling of goods valued at 250 million cedis. The goods burnt by the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in the presence of officials of the Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies and newsmen at Kpone at the weekend, were declared unwholesome and expired.

Destroyed in the exercise included 1,745 cartoons of London King Size cigarettes, eight sacks of used footwear, 68 packets of bathroom sandals, broken down television sets and electrical appliances.

The other items were 100 bales of used clothing, 2,845 bottles of Pasties alcoholic beverage, one carton and 23 packets of assorted drugs and spices including Maggie, Royco, curry powder and monosodium glutamate.

Mr Robert Hugh-Tagoe, Principal Collector in charge of Preventive of CEPS urged importers not to bring any item into the country under the free market policy only for the goods to be declared "junk". He warned that CEPS would deal ruthlessly with those caught smuggling since their activities contributed to loss of revenue to the state.

Mr Hugh-Tagoe said expired goods were not allowed into the country and explained that the importer who had not shown up smuggled the goods through unapproved routes and they were seized.