A driver has been arrested after the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) intercepted 119 sacks of compressed dried substance suspected to be Indian hemp at Dabala, in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The suspected narcotic substance was transported to an unknown location on a Ford Transit van and an International Truck that broke down along the way.
After the International Truck broke down the sacks of the suspected Indian Hemp were allegedly taken to thatch house to hide it from the security agencies in the area.
The van has since been impounded and its driver arrested.
Task force
Briefing journalists ahead of handing over the sacks to the Narcotics Control Commission, the Acting Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA, Alhaji Iddrisu Iddisah Seidu said the arrest was made by the Eastern Corridor Monitoring Task Force of the Division basked at Dabala Junction in the Volta Region.
He said the task force in charge of operations relating to smuggling and cross-border crimes along Ghana’s borders with Togo.
He said based on intelligence, the team intercepted the van carrying 26 sacks of dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp at Wuti near Akatsi in the Volta Region.
During interrogation, the driver mentioned that there was a bigger truck also carrying some of the contraband goods which had broken down at Avadre, near Ziope.
When the team got to the Avedre the occupants of the truck fled the scene on seeing the customs officers.
The team while patrolling the area found some sacks packed in a thatched house in the village and decided to find out what had been concealed in it.
The team retrieved the sacks and transferred them to a state warehouse.
The head of the Eastern Corridor Monitoring Task Force, Revenue Officer, Abdullah Dari, said the people behind such activities were “criminals and national economic saboteurs as they wrack the nation of the revenue needed for development projects”.
He said their activities have national security implications as criminals such as robbers abuse drugs before embarking on their illegal activities.
He urged the public to provide relevant information to the security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of such criminals.
