Customs seizes 97 bales of imitation wax prints and 10 motorbikes in Techiman

Officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have intercepted a Burkina Faso-registered cargo truck carrying 97 bales of imitation wax prints and 10 new motorbikes concealed beneath other goods at Techiman.

The interception occurred on Thursday, November 5, when Customs officers stopped a DAF XF truck with registration number BF2798G303 during an inspection exercise.

According to the GRA, an initial search of the vehicle revealed suspicious consignments hidden beneath dry okro powder and empty glass bottles, prompting officers to escort the truck to the Authority's Sunyani Regional Office for a comprehensive examination.

The subsequent inspection uncovered 97 bales of imitation wax prints, equivalent to 58,200 yards of fabric, together with 10 new, unpacked 155cc Yamaha Aerox motorbikes.

The Authority classified the intercepted items as uncustomed goods, indicating that the necessary import duties had not been paid and the required Customs clearance procedures had not been completed.

The operation follows another recent interception involving counterfeit GTP wax prints estimated to be worth GH¢20 million.

Preliminary assessments placed the import duty and related tax liability on the seized textile consignment alone at GH¢465,186.90.

The amount was calculated using a free-on-board value of US$52,962, with additional considerations for freight, insurance, import duty, Value Added Tax (VAT) and other applicable levies and charges.

The GRA subsequently issued 5 Notices of Seizure on November 11, bearing reference numbers 0015388 and 0015392 to 0015395.

The notices cited provisions of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), under which the intercepted goods are considered liable to forfeiture.

Under the applicable procedures, any person seeking to contest the forfeiture must submit a written claim within 1 calendar month.

Failure to file a claim within the stipulated period could result in the goods being deemed lawfully forfeited to the state and disposed of in accordance with directives from the Commissioner.

The intercepted textiles and motorbikes have been deposited at the state warehouse of the GRA's Sunyani Regional Office pending further administrative and legal action.

The seizure comes at a time when the government is pursuing a US$1 billion investment programme to revitalise Ghana's textile and fashion industry, strengthen domestic production and support employment creation.

It also follows a recent directive from the Customs Commissioner urging officers to prioritise Ghana's national interest in the discharge of their responsibilities.