The Customs Preventive Taskforce of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) raided the Central Business District to confiscate beverage products without customs excise tax stamps. The exercise followed formal complaints lodged by top officials of Guinness Ghana Limited about the influx of imported canned malt and other beverages, which they said was significantly affecting their revenue margins.
According to Guinness Ghana Limited, their profit dropped from GH₵58 million to about GH₵13 million after a cursory assessment over a six-month period. The GRA stated that the deliberate evasion of excise stamps is undermining revenue targets, therefore, Guinness Ghana’s complaint was timely.
The taskforce stormed Makola and Tudu in Accra to seize products without the mandatory tax stamps. The Commissioner in charge of Domestic Revenue, Edward Gyambra, indicated that the Authority will clamp down on illegal imports evading tax to ensure full compliance.
