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The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has given a 21-day ultimatum to all vehicle owners to visit any of the GRA offices in the country to ascertain the authenticity of their vehicles.

According to the acting Commissioner-General of GRA, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, the GRA would clampdown on vehicle owners without genuine documents after the deadline.

He said the Ministry of Finance has for the past two-and-half months set up a special surveillance and monitoring unit to work closely with the GRA to detect uncustomed vehicles, goods and other areas of revenue leakages.

He added that, so far, the unit has arrested about 100 uncustomed vehicles whose owners are going through the process of paying the required duties on the vehicles.

He explained that Section 55(1) of the Customs Act, 2016 (Act 891) states that a person who imports vehicles into the country shall pay import duties and any other imposts.

“The work of the special surveillance and monitoring unit has confirmed that the number of uncustomed vehicles is many in the country, therefore GRA is calling on all owners of such vehicles to regularise the status of their vehicles with the Customs Division of GRA,” he said.

Kofi Nti also mentioned that Section 124 of the Customs Act, 2016 (Act 891) also provides that where goods are smuggled, the conveyance used in the carriage of the uncustomed goods shall be liable to forfeiture.

He explained that the smuggled goods would be seized and subsequently forfeited while the operator of the conveyance prosecuted.

He called on the general public to comply with the directive, and advised all prospective vehicle buyers to be extra vigilant on the vehicles they purchase else they would be found liable if their vehicles are intercepted by the monitoring team.