The Kpeshie Divisional Police Command has arrested five persons for allegedly re-bagging inferior rice into “Uncle Sam” brand bags at Teshie Tsui Bleoo in Accra.
Apart from the rice that was found in their warehouse, the suspects also had a sealing machine and a quantity of empty sacks of Uncle Sam.
Chief Superintendent Francis Nyamecho, Kpehsie Divisional Crime Officer, who narrated the story to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Friday, named Jerry Offei, 34, as the leader of the group.
He said the operation was carried out upon a tip-off from Mr John Awuni, Corporate Affairs Director of Finatrade Group of Companies, importers of Uncle Sam and Sultana brands of rice.
The Crime Officer said 200 sealed and 150 unsealed Uncle Sam 5kg bags of rice and 96 bags of the inferior rice were found in the warehouse.
Chief Superintendent Nyamecho said the suspects, whose activity was geared at deceiving the public to buy inferior goods in quality rice sacks, would be in court on June 16.
Commenting on the case, Mr. Awuni,said the company was committed to weeding out all such unscrupulous elements from
society and would co-operate fully with all security agencies to bring them to book in order to safeguard the safety and health of rice consumers in the country.
The Police have also urged members of the public to be on the look out and report such persons who might be involved in such treacherous activities.