Immigration officers at the Akanu Sector of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on Saturday impounded a Ford Bus carrying 150 jerry cans of diesel at Zukpe Galitsofe in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region.
The Vehicle with registration number AS 4077-1 was intercepted by the GIS patrol team at about 4:30 am dawn.
According to Inspector Samuel Ampofo, the patrol team leader, they saw the bus with all its side glasses covered with an opaque plastic bags and was been escorted by a motor bike rider.
“We became suspicious and chased the vehicle and sensing danger; the driver stopped and took to his heels while the motor bike rider sped off,” he said.
Mr Ampofo said “We managed to drive the car to Akanu and reported the matter to our Sector Commander, Chief Superintendent, Godson Attobrah, who also informed the Regional Commander,” he said.
The Regional Commander, Peter Claver Nantou, briefing the media, said intelligence gathered by the GIS had revealed that the smuggling of petroleum products from Togo through unapproved roads to Ghana was on the ascendency.
Consequently, he said the GIS had intensified their patrols especially on unapproved routes.
“It was one of such positive instances of our men that the vehicle was intercepted, with the driver escaping,” he said.
“Upon opening the jerry cans, that we discovered that they were each filled with diesel,” he said.
The vehicle and the content had since been handed over to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, at Akanu for further investigations.
FROM KAFUI GATI, AKANU
