MV MAMA UK

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Tug seized for alleged gasoline smuggle

The Tema Command of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) detained the 'Famous 1' at the Tema Port, where it had berthed on Nov 23, 2020, following the discovery of gasoline products which the owners allegedly declared as sludge. Officials suspected that the gasoline products were being smuggled under the guise of the sludge material in an attempt to evade the payment of the necessary taxes to the state. Officials of the vessel, Kpabulga Energy Limited (KEL), in a letter signed by its Director of Operations, Mr Abdul Rafat Mohammed, on November 23, 2020 had made an application to the Director of Tema Port seeking for clearance to discharge some 200 cubic litres of sludge, a waste product made up of a mixture of oil, water and other substances, at the port. The management was waiting for an official report from the Tema Sector Commander on the incident. The vessel had arrived at the port on Nov 22, 2020 from the Lome Offshore and berthed the following day about 5:45 p.m. It was found to be discharging gasoline products into some Bulk Road Vehicles (BRV), when Customs officials swooped on them and halted the operations to enable them to conduct investigations into the incident.