Mr Gabriel Asamoah, Senior Revenue Officer at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Office in Tamale, has appealed to the Police and other security agencies, to join hands with the Customs Division of the GRA, to fight smuggling in the country.

He pointed out that smuggling of goods affected the country's economy through loss of revenue and foreign exchange.

Mr Asamoah made the appeal in Tamale during a sensitization programme on the customs procedures, rules and regulations for stakeholders, organised by GRA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The programme was to educate the general public and stakeholders on the activities of the Customs Division of the GRA.

He explained that smuggling was the illegal importation or exportation of goods into or out of a country, and that it could lead to the total collapse of trade and industry, since cheap textiles and other products were always imported.

Mr Asamoah advised importers not to avoid paying taxes or levies on their imported goods, and warned that defaulters would be severely dealt with according to the tax laws of the country.