GRA, COCOBOD Impound 15 Trucks Loaded With Alleged Smuggled Fertilizer

A joint team comprising of the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Special Services Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has impounded 15 trucks loaded with smuggled fertiliser.

Subsequent investigations led to the team discovering a warehouse and a factory called Fertagro Ghana Limited, where the smuggled fertilisers were being repackaged.

The cocoa fertilisers are meant for beneficiaries of Ghana Cocoa Board’s free fertiliser programme.

At the factory, workers were seen repackaging the fertiliser into foreign sacks suspected to be for export.

However, one of the workers who was arrested during the operation and said to be the owner of the company refuted the allegations of smuggling, saying he has licence from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

To this, the Director of Special Services at Ghana Cocoa Board, Charles Amenyaglo, said he will be surprised if the owner indeed had permit from the Ministry.

He said they had intelligence about the activities of the company, leading to the swoop.

“Today is the first time we have on this scale and it is clear evidence of what we have been suspecting all this while.”