Accra, Feb. 7, GNA - The Anti-revenue Leakages Monitoring Team of the Ghana Revenue Authority, formerly called the Revenue Agency Governing Board, has unveiled massive revenue fraud syndicate involving some personnel of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS). The syndicate siphons the revenue of the State through illegal collection of revenue from traders at the country's borders. Mr Thomas O. Mills, Leader of the Special Monitoring Team, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra at the weekend that the CEPS officials extort money from traders before bringing in their goods through agents. Members of the syndicate pay small amount of money at the borders to clear goods, which are brought into the country through well- connected middlemen.

The full complement of what is due to the State is done through the payment of the right value of the goods seized and the related penalty involved. Mr Mills said traders were forced to pay money from the numerous check points in the country, especially at the Accra-Aflao road manned by security personnel.

He appealed to the traders to go through the prerequisite requirements covering their goods in order to avoid illegal payments of money. Mr Mills asked the traders to demand receipts of any amount of money they pay to the extortionists. He said those pocketing the revenue of the State do so at their own risk.

Mr Mills said on 21st January this year, the anti-revenue team intercepted a truck travelling from Ave Havi to the Juapong barrier. He said customs documents covering the truck indicated that only 8,600 Ghana cedis was paid to the State instead of the real value of the goods estimated at 266,000 Ghana cedis. Mr Mills expressed the need for the authorities to punish people who divert public revenue into their pockets. He also called for the overhauling of the revenue collection system to prevent people from feeding fat at the expense of the State . 7 Feb. 10