Wax prints stashed under decaying crabs intercepted

Aflao, April 11, GNA - A total of 184 pieces of wax prints concealed under layers of decaying crabs in four large baskets have been intercepted by officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at Azizadzi, near Keta.

A madam Margaret Senyo, 45, a porter from Aflao, who was accompanying the goods, is assisting in the investigations.

The value and duty elements are yet to be determined.

Mr Evans Klutse, Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in charge of Aflao, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that about 1345 hours on Wednesday, a minibus with passengers and goods from the Aflao direction towards Keta, pulled up at an a snap check-point mounted by his men at Azizadzi.

He said his men, intrigued by the size of the baskets, probed Madam Senyo about the contents but she insisted that they contained crabs.

Mr Klutse said the woman then slit open the top paper covers of the baskets to show the officers that they were indeed crabs.

He said, however, not satisfied, the CEPS officers ignored the stench emitting from the crabs and searched through the baskets.

They then discovered the wax prints, believed to have been smuggled from Togo, neatly concealed.

Mr Klutse said the goods had been seized with the owners having the option to pay a 300 percent penalty to claim them.

Madam Senyo told the GNA that the goods were given to her by four traders at Aflao, who designed the means of concealment and asked her to send them to Accra for GH¢ 100 cedis.

GNA