Tema Police impound six containers and 279 bags of cocoa beans

Tema, Feb. 24, GNA- The Tema Regional Police Command has impounded six containers and 279 bags of cocoa beans which were on transit from Cote d'Ivoire for export to Amsterdam, Holland.

The trucks that brought in the goods had, therefore been impounded by the Police.

According to the Regional Police Commander, Mrs Agnes Sikanartey, the Cocoa Marketing Company, (CMC) is the only company which has the mandate to export cocoa out of the country, but Exel Logistic Limited, a Shipping Company, in Tema tried to re-export the goods without authority.

She said on February 19, this year, the Police had information that Exel Limited was about to export six containers of cocoa beans to Amsterdam, without authority.

She said three officials from the company when invited for investigations however, produced documents which showed that a company known as Faso Metal of BP 801, Bobo Dioulasso-Burkina Faso was conveying 35,000 kgs of cocoa beans equivalent to 1,352 bags on transit from Cote d'Ivoire through Burkina Faso.

Meanwhile documents prepared by Exel Limited to the GPHA, which covered three containers ready for export, indicated that the cargo in the container were quantity of raw cashew and raw sesame seeds. Mrs Sikanartey said Police during inspection at Exel premises discovered 279 bags of cocoa beans in trucks, 76 out of which were bagged in Ghana COCOBOD sacks with the rest in sacks with no identification.

She said the consignment has however been handed over to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and the CMC officials pending investigations.