The Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Customs Division has intercepted a consignment containing more than 1,545 Apple products in an intelligence-led operation at the Aflao border.
The seizure reportedly involved various models of Apple devices, including iPhone XR, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro. The products are suspected to have been brought into Ghana without the required customs declarations and payment of applicable import duties and taxes.
Reports indicate that the consignment was allegedly sourced from Dubai and routed through neighbouring Togo before being brought into Ghana. The circumstances surrounding the movement of the devices are now subject to further investigation.
The seized Apple products have reportedly been placed under detention while Customs officials investigate their ownership, route of entry and whether the appropriate customs requirements were met.
Under Ghana’s customs procedures, importers are required to make declarations for imported goods and complete the necessary classification and valuation processes before duties and taxes are paid and the goods are released. Declarations are processed through the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), with consignments subject to risk-based controls, including scanning and physical examination where necessary.
For passengers, the GRA also requires commercial goods to be declared through the Red Channel. Goods intended for sale do not qualify for personal baggage concessions, while failure to declare goods may result in penalties or forfeiture.
The Aflao area is an important transit point along the Ghana-Togo corridor, with Customs monitoring the movement of goods and working to prevent revenue leakage.
The latest seizure forms part of ongoing Customs enforcement efforts to detect undeclared and improperly imported goods. Investigations are expected to determine the full circumstances surrounding the consignment and establish whether any customs duties or taxes were evaded.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe