Honuta (V/R), Sept 29, GNA - Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at Honuta in the Ho West Constituency on Tuesday appealed to the government to provide the service with logistics that would help them combat cocoa smuggling in the region.

They suggested to government to consider increasing the price of cocoa in order to discourage people from smuggling the product. Mr Christopher Asiedu, a Collector of CEPS, told journalists that lack of personnel, Wellington boots, raincoats and other important logistics was impeding their patrol duties in the area since the smugglers were even more equipped than them. He said over 100 bags of cocoa were abandoned by smugglers during a chase and added "If we have more men and the logistics we shall be able to match them boot by boot and stop them from their unpatriotic activities".

Mr. Asiedu said the current staff of 26 was inadequate to combat smuggling and other crimes in the area and appealed to the management of CEPS to consider increasing their number to 50 and support them logistically.

He said cocoa price in the country was not attractive to farmers thereby encouraging them to smuggle to neighbouring Togo for better prices. "I believe that if the government is able to peg the price of cocoa at par with that in Togo, nobody will be willing to smuggle when they can get the same price for their produce in the country". 2