The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has seized illegal tobacco items worth GH¢7.95 million.
In a statement dated Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the GRA said that the products were illegally brought into the country through unauthorised border routes.
The tobacco brands seized are Oris Double Apple, Business Royals, Gold Seal, Bon, Yes, and Business Kings.
“All the confiscated products had been illicitly brought into Ghanaian territory, contravening the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851, and the Tobacco Control Regulations (TCR), 2016 (L.I. 2247),” the GRA stated.
The GRA added that the brands seized did not meet the standards mandated by the country’s laws.
These include essential elements such as graphic health warnings, the ‘For Sale in Ghana’ inscription, and Ghana Tax Stamps.
The authority said it is collaborating with other state agencies to apprehend, prosecute, and impose the necessary sanctions on those involved in the illicit trade.
As part of the legal process, all seized products will be destroyed in accordance with established protocols.