The Akanu Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Saturday dawn, intercepted about 150 jerry cans of diesel smuggled into the country from the Republic of Togo.
Mr Godson Attobrah, Sector Commander said that three officers on patrol duty arrested a blue Ford Club Wagon with registration number AS 4077 U at about 0430 hours at Zukpe, a border community in the Ketu North Municipality.
He said the driver, and another doing reconnaissance on a motorbike managed to elude arrest, and that the vehicle upon inspection was discovered to be packed beyond capacity with unwholesome fuel.
The Commander said the vehicle’s hold had to be forced open, and that its contents would be certified and handed over to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Mr Attobrah said based on intelligence, the Command had stepped up vigilance to stop cross border crimes.
He said such activities were on the increase, and that the fuel were known to be originated from Libya and Nigeria, and offloaded unto canoes in Togo.
The Commander said the activities of the Sector Command had been boosted by the influx of intelligence from the Regional Command, and would need more logistics to effectively perform its duties.
Mr Peter Claver Nantou Esq, Regional Director of GIS said the Command was aware of the rising smuggling of petroleum products from Togo and had placed all five sectors in the region on alert.
He said the arrest was an “instance of the positive efforts of the Service, and signals that despite limited logistical and manpower constraints, my men are able and capable.
“It must also send a signal to the smugglers that if they think they want to test the pulse of the Service in the Volta, this is evident to know that we are up to the task and cannot be taken for granted”, he added.
Mr Nantou commended his men for the “good work”, and also expressed gratitude to their collaborators for the intelligence, urging border residents to count on the Service for confidentiality and relay vital information to stem cross border crime.
The Commander said cross border criminals were armed, therefore, stakeholders must consider tooling personnel of the Service with some arms.
“We need some level of protection for the men,” he stated.
