The Accra Regional police have arrested two persons at Alajo junction in the city for allegedly selling petrol in gallons.
The suspects are Razak Karimu, 35 years of age and Shamsudin Sullemana, 25.
Fifty pieces of 20-litre gallons said to be containing fuel packed in a VW van, were also impounded in the course of the arrest.
The regional commander, DCOP Osaberima Oware Asare Pinkron III, who briefed the media on Tuesday, said the police acted on a complaint from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) that some people had been selling petroleum products in gallons at Alajo junction.
He said the action of the suspects contravenes the provisions of the law and the NPA Act, which stipulates that the sale of petroleum products in gallons is not safe as such products are highly flammable.
Acting on the information, the regional police planted intelligence officers to monitor the alleged criminal act.
DCOP Osaberima Oware Asare Pinkron III said yesterday morning, the two suspects were spotted by the police offloading gallons of petroleum products from a VW van with registration number GT 7869 – H and accosted them.
He claimed that upon interrogation, Razak Karimu and Shamsudin Sullemana said they got their supplies from tanker drivers.
These tanker drivers, they claimed siphoned the fuel from their vehicles and sold it to them at a cheaper price, adding that they also put the fuel in gallons and sell it to drivers.
DCOP Pinkron added that the issue of black market trade in petrol is of grave concern to the NPA since over 4,000 employees of the oil marketing companies (OMCs) are at risk of losing their jobs at the end of this month, if the practice continues.
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