Liberia: Gasoline Smuggling Ring Busted in Ganta

The Border Patrol Unit (BPU) of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) on Sunday, March 17, seized a huge quantity of gasoline at the Ganta Border while the smugglers were trying to cross over to neighboring Guinea.

The bust of the smuggling gang comes amidst the hikes in the prices of petroleum products, especially gasoline, in the country. 

Commanders of the LIS, and BPU, Amos Smith and William Paye, told the Daily Observer the huge consignment of gasoline was arrested at the Gbuyee Port #1, one of the sub-ports with Guinea.

The LIS explained the smugglers put up resistance upon their arrival at the port, but later escaped, leaving the goods at the border points.

The actual owner(s) of the gasoline is yet to be identified, but a source told this paper the goods/gasoline were taken from the Ma Queen Filling Station In Ganta, owned by one Adonis Menlor.

The movement of gasoline to Guinea is becoming unprecedented, with about 1,000 containers crossing daily (11 gallons per container).

All the arrested gasoline was sealed up in 11-gallon containers, well taped to avoid leakage before smuggling them through some of the sub ports, while some went through the border in a car.

Efforts to get the response of Adonis Menlor did not materialize due to his failure to respond or show up when he was contacted or called upon. 

Recently, the price of gasoline jumped from L$840 to L$940 per gallon in Ganta within just a few days, while in other surrounding towns or cities, gasoline is sold for L$1,000 per gallon.

It is not clear whether the hike in the prices was because of the smuggling of petroleum products, but it is evident that the hike is hampering the movement of goods and services due to the resultant hikes in transportation fares, which most motorists attributed the cause to the increase in gasoline price.

“If the gasoline price is not put under control sooner, prices of goods will also jump, increasing the already hard cost of living in the country,” said one Oretha G. Moses, a petty trader.

Since fire razed the Guinean refinery last year, many Guinean petroleum dealers are now purchasing their gasoline from Ganta, using containers or 60-gallon barrels to collect their goods.

However, the seized gasoline was taken to the LIS Head Office in Sanniquellie to be reported to the relevant authority for the appropriate legal action, the LIS–BPU had said.

In a similar development, the shipment of rice to Guinea is on the increase, with several hundred bags leaving the country daily, but it is not clear whether it passed through customs formalities, something customs failed to clarify.

Already the price of 25kg rice had increased from L$3,350 to L$3,550, something many worried about further increasing, unless the shipment or smuggling is put under control.