CEPS IMPOUNDS UNCUSTOMED CIGARETES...At Bonda in Wa East Distric (PAGE 16, DEC 16)

FORTY-FIVE cartons of Gold Seal cigarettes, with a duty value of GH¢9,350, have been impounded at Bonaa in the Wa East District in a police and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) collaboration.
The cigarettes were allegedly being smuggled from Kulebi, near Kalba, a Northern Region town bordering Cote d’Ivoire.
Those arrested in the operation are Abubakar Abdullai, 24, Majid Iddrisu, 42, both traders, and Siita Mahama, a galamsey operator.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Alex Bedie, said CEPS officials on duty at Kulmasa on December 10, 2009 were privy to information that some people were transporting goods through some unapproved routes from Cote d’Ivoire into the country.
He said when the consignment got into Ghana, the alleged smugglers passed through Lassie via Ga in the Wa West District before crossing over onto the Wa–Kumasi road through to Bonaa in the Wa East District.
At that time, Mr Bedie said, the CEPS officials were trailing the vehicle conveying the cigarettes.
He said on arrival at Bonaa with the consignment, the suspects quickly unloaded the goods and took to their heels but the CEPS officials were able to arrest Abdulai.
He said CEPS informed the police, who later dispatched the goods to the head office of CEPS to unload.
Upon interrogation, Abdulai admitted that he had been doing the business for some time now.
Abdulai again told the police that he was engaged by Iddrisu to help transport the cigarettes from Kulebi into Bonaa.
He said they then chartered the KIA truck, with registration number UE 98 R, which was being driven by one Abu Mahama, who is at large to convey the goods to Wa.
Mr Bedie said further investigations by the police led to the arrest of Majid Iddrisu, who claimed he was a dealer in cigarettes in Wa.