Sunyani, March 25, GNA - Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in Sunyani has impounded a total of 22 vehicles because their owners failed to pay import duties running into millions of cedis. Mr Ed Richard Kumah Lanyon, the Sector Commander, told GNA that preliminary findings showed that import duties on the vehicles, which were parked at the CEPS office in Sunyani, were not paid.

He said most of the vehicles were brought into the country by land and that CEPS detected vehicle registration and licensing syndicate that falsified documents on the vehicles.

Mr Lanyon said registration numbers on number plates of most of the vehicles were for motorbikes and warned that anyone caught involved in such deals would not be spared.

He requested the public to submit documents on vehicles they buy from agents and dealers to CEPS to ascertain their validity to avoid being defrauded.

"There are obligations and rights bound by law and anyone who refuses to comply will not be spared", Mr Lanyon said. He said the impounded vehicles would be released to their owners if they pay the necessary import duties.

Meanwhile, a Sunyani-based businessman, Nana Ameyaw, has called for the setting up of a special board at the various ports with the responsibility for the final verification of all documents on vehicles imported into the country.

In a statement to GNA in Sunyani he said "This will enable clients to ascertain if an agent has connived with any CEPS official by way of underpayment of duties and other related taxes".

The businessman said persons without much knowledge about such transactions would also be further enlightened to avoid fraudulent deals.