Renewed preventive surveillance spearheaded by the Commissioner of the Customs Division, Aaron Kanor, has yielded another major breakthrough after officers at the Techiman inland checkpoint intercepted 97 bales of imitation wax prints and 10 brand-new Yamaha Aerox motorbikes concealed in a foreign cargo truck.
The contraband, carrying an estimated combined street value of GH¢1.45 million, was uncovered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during a targeted inspection of a Burkina Faso-registered DAF XF cargo truck (registration number BF2798G303).
The interception is being widely credited to the “eagle-eye” preventive strategy and tightened inland corridor monitoring championed by Mr. Kanor to plug revenue leakages and curb cross-border smuggling. Acting on heightened vigilance protocols, officers at the Techiman checkpoint conducted an intrusive search of the vehicle, discovering the high-value goods buried beneath sacks of dry okro powder and crates of empty glass bottles.
“This bust is a direct testament to the ‘eagle-eye’ preventive surveillance framework instituted by Commissioner Aaron Kanor,” a senior Customs official at the Sunyani Regional Command stated. “His directive to intensify intelligence-led checks at inland checkpoints has empowered officers on the ground to look beyond surface cargo and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks.”
Following the initial discovery, the truck was escorted under heavy security to the GRA Sunyani Regional Office for a full physical examination. The inventory confirmed 97 bales of imitation wax prints amounting to 58,200 yards of fabric alongside 10 unpacked 155cc Yamaha Aerox motorbikes.
Market assessments place the street value of the 58,200 yards of imitation wax prints at roughly GH¢970,000 (averaging GH¢100 per six-yard piece), while the 10 unpacked 155cc Yamaha Aerox motorbikes are valued at approximately GH¢480,000 (at an estimated GH¢48,000 per bike), bringing the total street value of the seizure to GH¢1.45 million.
Customs valuation data indicates that the textile consignment alone holds a Free on Board (FOB) value of $52,962, with assessed import duties, Value Added Tax (VAT), freight, insurance, and statutory levies standing at GH¢465,186.90.
“Under Mr. Kanor’s leadership, preventive officers have been tasked with leaving zero room for revenue evasion,” another enforcement officer noted. “Intercepting nearly 60,000 yards of uncustomed textiles and 10 brand-new motorbikes protects both national revenue and local industries from unfair, illicit competition.”
On November 11, 2026, the Customs Division issued five Notices of Seizure numbered 0015388, 0015392, 0015393, 0015394, and 0015395 pursuant to the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), declaring the uncustomed items liable to forfeiture.
The notices identified Sansadogo Mohammed in connection with the 10 motorbikes, while separate notices regarding the textile consignment were addressed to individuals identified as “Dabil” and “Perpetual.”
“As stipulated under Act 891, any claimant has exactly one calendar month from the date of the seizure notice to submit a formal written challenge,” a Customs legal officer explained. “Should no valid claim be filed within that statutory period, the goods will be lawfully forfeited to the state and disposed of as directed by the Commissioner-General.”
The impounded truck and contraband remain secured at the Sunyani Regional Office state warehouse pending the expiration of the one-month statutory notice and subsequent regulatory action.
