Video: 'Ring leader' of smuggled vintage Benz cars busted

A 44-year-old man said to have played a key role in the illegal importation of two uncustomed Mercedes Benz vehicles into the country, is in the grip of the police.

The businessman, Darlington Kupualor, and his accomplice identified only as ‘Africa’, 48-years, were arrested on the dawn of Thursday, February 22, 2018 by a special team from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from his hideout in Ho, the Volta Regional capital.

His arrest follows the confiscation of two vintage Mercedes Benz vehicles said to have a street value of $3.2 million by national security after they were impounded by officials of the GRA when it was detected that the luxury vehicles came into the country without the required documentation.

Read: Myjoyonline Exclusive: National Security seizes $3.2m luxury cars at MCE's house 

Darlington Kupualor, arrested.

The two vehicles; Mercedes Benz 300 SL, (white colour) which costs about $1.8 million and Mercedes Benz 190 SL, black [$1.4 million], were impounded on January 10, 2018 at the residence of Ketu South Municipal Chief Executive, Elliot Edem Agbenorwu who informed the GRA.

Mr. Agbenorwu told JoyNews the smugglers forced their way into his residence despite attempts by his security to stop them and hid two luxurious Mercedes Benz vehicles there.

Read: Luxury cars: Smugglers forcibly entered my house with cars – MCE 

The vehicles belong to popular businessman and philanthropist, Nana Kwame Bediako.

Watch: Ring leader of smuggled vintage Benz cars busted

Mr Bediako told Myjoyonline.com that he bought the cars from Stuttgart in Germany, and contracted an agent to ship them into the country.

He claimed the agent he contracted to ship the vehicles to Ghana, rather smuggled them into the country through an unapproved route at Ghana’s southern town of Aflao in the Volta Region without the required customs documents.

Read: Smuggled Benz vehicles: Owner blames agent

Kupualor who is said to be engaged in the illicit business for more than a decade, has since been transferred to the Police Headquarters in Accra to be processed for trial.

He is also suspected to be the ringleader of a smuggling gang engaged in the importation of vehicles into the country without paying duties to the state.

He and his gang are suspected to have facilitated the smuggling of the vehicles as well as over a hundred Range Rover vehicles, several Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and saloon cars into the country.

According to a Myjoyonline.com source, this has resulted in the loss of revenue to the state to the tune of GH?12 million.

Kupualor and his accomplice are expected to be arraigned in court today this week but it is unclear if the owner will be questioned by the security agency.

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