The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has observed an alarming increase in the fraudulent activity by importers, shipping companies, and agents conspiring to avoid taxes. The activity is said to be causing financial losses to the state.

Consequently, the authority is collaborating with various agencies to ensure that those responsible for these crimes are identified and held accountable.

The GRA has announced its intensified efforts to apprehend importers involved in the falsification of trade documents to evade taxes.

This initiative follows an intelligence report from February 2023, which uncovered instances where two companies and importers had manipulated trade documents on their bills of lading while clearing goods at the Tema Port.

Alhadji Seidu Idrisu Iddisa, the Commissioner of Customs at the GRA, expressed concern, stating, "The Ghana Revenue Authority has noted with great concern an emerging practice where some customs house agents and importers collude with certain shipping lines to falsify trade documents, particularly invoices, and misrepresent the nature of goods to expedite clearance and reduce duties payable to the state."

"We are currently conducting investigations into the activities of both the shipping lines and the agents and importers to ascertain the extent of their collaboration," he added.