Customs intercepts smuggled textiles and motorbikes hidden under okro powder at Techiman

Officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have intercepted 97 bales of imitation wax prints and 10 new Yamaha Aerox motorbikes concealed in a Burkina Faso-registered cargo truck at the Techiman checkpoint, authorities have disclosed.

According to a GRA statement issued on November 13, the DAF XF truck with registration number BF2798G303 was stopped on Thursday, November 5, 2026. A search of the vehicle revealed textile bales carefully hidden beneath dry okro powder and empty glass bottles — a common agricultural commodity used in an attempt to disguise the uncustomed goods.

The truck was immediately escorted to the Sunyani Regional Office of Customs for a thorough examination. The inspection confirmed the presence of 97 bales of imitation wax prints, equivalent to 58,200 yards of fabric, together with 10 brand-new, unpacked 155cc Yamaha Aerox motorbikes.

Customs officers classified the entire consignment as uncustomed, meaning the required import duties, taxes and clearance procedures had not been completed. The estimated duty payable on the textile component alone stands at GH¢465,186.90. This figure is based on a Free on Board (FOB) value of US$52,962, plus freight, insurance, import duty, Value Added Tax (VAT) and other applicable levies and charges.

Five Notices of Seizure — numbered 0015388, 0015392, 0015393, 0015394 and 0015395 — were issued on November 11, 2026, under the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891). The notices declare the goods liable to forfeiture. One set of documents links Sansadogo Mohammed to the motorbikes, while another is addressed to “Dabil” and “Perpetual” in connection with the textile consignment.

Any person wishing to contest the seizure must file a written claim within one calendar month of the notices. Failure to do so will result in the goods being treated as lawfully forfeited and disposed of according to the directives of the Commissioner of Customs.

The intercepted items have been deposited at the state warehouse of the Sunyani Regional Office pending further processes.

The interception forms part of ongoing efforts by Customs to curb the concealment and undeclared importation of high-value goods through inland checkpoints. Routes linking Burkina Faso to Ghana’s commercial centres, including Techiman — a major trading hub in the Bono East Region — remain key corridors for such attempts. Imitation wax prints, which attract significant demand on the Ghanaian market, and popular motorbike models are among the items frequently targeted by smugglers seeking to evade duties.

GRA has reiterated its commitment to rigorous enforcement at both border posts and inland control points to protect national revenue and ensure compliance with import regulations.