Accra, June 30, GNA - The Criminal Investigations Department (CID), of the Ghana Police Service has begun investigations into the operations of two Ghanaian Courier Firms operating without licenses in Accra.

They are Lifeline Courier Express Limited and Quick-X Courier Services.

Mr Emmanuel Arthur, Public Relations and Consumer Affairs Manager, Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission, disclosed this in a statement issued in Accra on Thursday.

It said the investigations followed series of complaints lodged with the Police CID by the Commission, following the failure of the two firms to renew their operating licenses, which had expired.

The licence of Lifeline Courier Express Limited expired in 2008 while the licence of Quick-X Courier Services expired in 2010.

Mr John Otuteye, Director of Licensing and Regulations at the Commission explained that by Act 649 of 2003, which established the Commission, a year's renewable license should be issued to all courier firms before they operate.

"A person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this Act commits an offence and where no penalty is expressly provided, shall upon conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both," he added.

Mr Otuteye said with regard to Lifeline Courier Express, the Commission issued the management with an initial operating license, which expired in 2008, after which it wrote several letters and visits to the premises of the company reminding them of their legal obligation but the Company failed to comply.

The Commission therefore made a formal complaint to the Police CID for investigations, arrest and prosecution.

Mr Otuteye said the management of Quick-X Courier Services had persistently declined to renew its operating license since the initial one expired on December 31, 2010.

The statement said the Commission had re-activated its monitoring structures and warned of a clamp-down against all illegal courier operators in the country.

It advised illegal courier operators to regularise their operations with the Commission.