Customs seizes rifle, two pistols and 610 rounds in undeclared shipment at Tema port

Pinned summary · as of 05:29

Customs staff working at Tema Port's Golden Jubilee Terminal uncovered an assault rifle plus two pistols and 610 bullets inside a consignment of household belongings from the United States, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has disclosed. The discovery came on the evening of Friday, 25 September, and the GRA announced it at a press briefing on Monday, 29 September.

What we know

• Reports by Onua Online and The Press Radio, both relaying the GRA's account, list the weapons found at Tema as one assault rifle, two pistols and 610 bullets, along with related accessories.
• The GRA said none of the weapons or ammunition had been declared to Customs. They were tucked inside household belongings shipped in from the United States.
• Two Customs officers doing a routine check at about 5:15pm on Friday sent the consignment for a closer examination, and that is how the items came to light.
• The seized items have been passed to the police for further action, according to the GRA.
• GRA Deputy Commissioner for Communications and Public Affairs Florence Asante presented the seizure as a result of tighter scanning and physical checks on goods moving through Ghana's ports, aimed at stopping prohibited and restricted items.
• Ms Asante told importers to hold the right licences and permits and to declare their goods accurately. She also told anyone who receives a consignment for another person to find out what is inside it, and said not knowing the contents would not protect a person from breaching the law.
• Ms Asante said Ghana's customs rules class guns and ammunition as restricted goods, and that importing them needs the Interior Ministry's permission. The requirement flows from the 1972 Arms and Ammunition Act (NRCD 9), which has since been amended.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The Press Radio reported that police are expected to look into how the consignment came to be shipped. No one has been named or charged in the reports, and no other report has confirmed what the investigation will cover.

Why it matters for Ghana

Tema handles most of the goods that reach shops and workshops across Ghana, so tighter checks there affect every importer, clearing agent and person who collects a barrel or parcel from abroad for a relative or friend. The GRA's message is that accepting a shipment on someone else's behalf without knowing its contents can bring legal trouble. The case is now with the police, who will decide what follows.