The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has continued to caution owners of uncustomed, smuggled, or stolen vehicles to put an end to these practices as they are on the radar of authorities and will not get away with their nefarious activities.

Ghana Customs says sooner than later all such offenders will be apprehended and made to face the full rigors of the law.

“The warning we are sending out there is that it is not worth it. We are beginning to see all their tricks and we are ready for them.”

This was the voice of a Senior Revenue Officer at the Kotoka International Airport Car Park, Mr. Francis Vanderpuye who was speaking on the Eye on Port TV program on Accra-based Metro TV.

He indicated that the Authority has figured out the schemes of perpetrators, and built the requisite capacity to intercept such illegal activities.

Mr. Vanderpuye, who is the Head of the National Vehicle Task Force said his team has been patrolling and parading the nooks and crannies of the country spotting such offenders and helping the state recover valuable revenue lost to these unlawful acts.

According to him, activities of the task force instituted by the Commissioner of Customs are backed legally by the Customs Act 891 2015 which empowers the task force with the powers of the police. This includes the power to stop, board, and power to seize such vehicles, search premises, and arrest and detain perpetrators.

The customs official said that even though culprits are intercepted nationwide, the eastern borders of the country are prone to smuggling due to several unmanned unapproved routes that exist.

He also narrated that one common way perpetrators attempt to circumvent authorities is by altering the chassis number of vehicles in attempt to underpay duties.

“Now there is a new trend and we have begun to apprehend them. Before importers of vehicles ship in Ghana, they alter chassis numbers to try to falsify vehicle information which goes a long way to reduce how much will be paid for duty. A car was cleared at the Port of Tema, but our team intercepted it, checked, and realized that duties have been short-paid. The year of manufacture is 1998 but they tampered with it to read 2002 so they can have a reduced overage penalty. In effect, an inexperienced officer may be fooled into thinking that the right duties have been paid. The crux of the matter is that duties may have been paid but that was not the proper amount.”

Adding on to this was King Godfred Akorligleh, an Assistant Revenue Officer and member of the National Vehicle Task Force Team A, who revealed that these nefarious activities are rampant.

“Depending on the location, you can get a minimum of 7 countries in a day,” he stated.

He said offenses include vehicles that have not undergone proper customs procedures through smuggling, vehicles that have short-paid duties, vehicles stolen from foreign lands, overstayed vehicles brought into the country under ECOWAS temporary importation protocol, and transit vehicles diverted back to Ghana.

Mr. Akorligleh explained that “ECOWAS protocol for temporary importation allows citizens of member countries travel within ECOWAS, and it allows 90 days for private vehicles. One has to leave after 90 days. If it expires and the vehicle stays in the country, it is an abuse of ECOWAS protocol. In that case, we will apprehend you.”

The Customs officials said such ECOWAS vehicle owners are under no obligation or have no right to dispose of the vehicle by way of sale or exchange. They said in the event, such an action is to be taken, one must visit the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority to pay the requisite duties and taxes to regularize the status of the vehicle.

If that is not done, Customs will seize the vehicle and after 60 days of non-payment, the state takes ownership of the vehicle.

Similarly, for cars that were imported and cleared legitimately, but enjoyed some tax exemptions, buyers will have to pay off the exempted taxes before acquiring a vehicle.

The Revenue Authority emphasized that unsuspecting car buyers should always ensure to do due diligence on vehicle status with Customs before parting with monies or taking ownership of that car.