GRA SEIZES GOODS WITHOUT TAX STAMP

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A special Taskforce of the Ghana Revenue Authority has undertaken an unannounced swoop on selected retail outlets and warehouses in Kumasi as part of the Authority’s plans to enforce compliance with Act 873 of 2013 to affix Tax Stamp on selected products meant for public consumption.

 The focus of the swoop was on carbonated and alcoholic drinks, cigarette as well as bottled water whether produced locally or imported which must be affixed with the Tax Stamp before distribution for retail or sale to consumers. The Taskfor seized a quantity of such goods without the Tax Stamp but were on sale.

The Taskforce in charge of the Ashanti region, led by Mr. Spio Abaidoo, first visited the Game within the Kumasi Mall where after inspection of the available products to find out the level of compliance with the excisable law. Here, the Taskforce found a handful of imported carbonated canned and alcoholic drinks without the Tax Stamp.

 At the Shoprite also within the Mall, the Taskforce ceased almost one thousand cans of imported Fanta in addition to foreign alcoholic drinks from the shelves for the non-compliance with the law. 

At Afroconcession Limited, a private warehouse at Adum where huge quantities of assorted energy and canned carbonated drinks were ready to be carted for distribution by a number of cargo cars, an appreciable number of the products, mostly foreign, even though were ready for the open market, did not have the Tax Stamps affixed as required by law. 

Interestingly, the goods with or without the Tax Stamps had been mixed making it easy to outwit anyone without extra vigilance, despite that fact that, the operators had a roll of the Tax Stamp readily with them. 

The Taskforce would however not take any explanation than to cease those products without the Stamps affixed. Later in an interview with the media, Leader of the GRA Taskforce in Ashanti, Spio Abaidoo, explained that the swoop was to enforce producers, importers, distributors and retailers of excisable goods to comply with the law after a grace period and caution were given by the GRA upon the expiry of an Amnesty last year. 

Mr. Abaidoo said, even though the level of compliance is appreciating, there is still much work to be done. He therefore cautioned producers, suppliers or retailers to comply with the law to avoid  severer sanctions.

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