Mob attacks CEPS personnel during anti-cocoa smuggling operation

Hohoe, April 28, GNA - Personnel of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) stationed at Wli-Afegame on the Ghana/Togo border were last Sunday attacked by a mob after they had impounded a taxi suspected to be smuggling cocoa to Togo.

Noah Menyawovor, who was driving the taxi with registration number GW 6146 P, has been arrested with the assistance of the owner of the taxi. Briefing the Ghana News Agency Mr Wilson Kudze, the Hohoe District Police Commander, said CEPS personnel had flagged the taxi to stop but the driver refused, prompting the CEPS personnel to give it a chase but lost track of it.

He said the taxi was later found abandoned at a spot with cocoa beans scattered in its booth and the passengers' compartment. Mr Kudze said the personnel engaged the services of a civilian to drive the taxi to their duty post where a mob set upon and assaulted them and pushed the taxi away.

He said the taxi was later spotted and towed to the Police Station on Monday. Mr Kludze warned that the anti-smuggling taskforce would be ruthless with cocoa and other commodity smugglers along the country's eastern frontier with Togo.