The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), working in collaboration with the National Security Authority, has uncovered and intercepted a fuel diversion syndicate attempting to illegally reroute diesel meant for export.
According to the GRA, the operation which thwarted what could have been a GH¢2.3 million tax loss involved 10 trucks loaded with approximately 540,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Addressing the media in Accra on Friday, October 10, 2025, the Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, said the trucks were intercepted after intelligence suggested suspicious activity at the Tema Port.
“Based on credible intelligence, our team closely monitored the movement of the trucks designated for export. However, instead of completing the official process, they were seen exiting the port area around 3:00 a.m.,” he revealed.
Further checks showed that no vessel had been assigned to receive the cargo, prompting authorities to trace the vehicles to the Kpone industrial enclave, where the illegal diversion was confirmed.
Investigations later found that the syndicate had tampered with tracking devices on the tankers to conceal their movements and evade customs duties.
Mr. Sarpong noted that the trucks have since been impounded under sections 115(1), 118(1), and 124(1) of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), pending ongoing investigations.
He warned that the Authority will not hesitate to deal firmly with anyone found complicit in schemes that undermine the integrity of Ghana’s petroleum export system.
“The GRA remains resolute in safeguarding national revenue and ensuring that all petroleum exports are conducted transparently and in accordance with the law,” he emphasized.
To curb future violations, Mr. Sarpong said the Authority is intensifying its monitoring and strengthening intelligence-sharing with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), National Security, and other partner institutions.
