Four arrested as Police intercept 118 Bags of cocoa bound for Togo

The North East Regional Police Command has arrested four people and intercepted 118 bags of cocoa beans weighing 11,800 kilogrammes at Bunkpurugu, allegedly en route to neighbouring Togo.

The arrests form part of efforts to clamp down on cocoa smuggling and the illegal movement of cocoa beans across Ghana’s borders.

The suspects have been identified as 35-year-old Dickson Asante, the driver of the truck; 19-year-old Gideon Tab, his mate; 22-year-old Mohammed Mumin; and 23-year-old Ernestina Akugre, who claims ownership of the consignment.

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According to the Police, the interception followed intelligence received on Sunday, August 9, concerning a Hyundai Rhino truck with registration number AS-3272-25.

The vehicle was reportedly transporting plantain and cocoa under suspicious circumstances towards the Bunkpurugu-Togo border.

Acting on the intelligence, a Police patrol team intercepted the truck at the Bunkpurugu Police Snap Check Point and arrested the four suspects.

A joint security team comprising personnel from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Defence Intelligence, the GRA Customs Division and National Security subsequently searched the vehicle at the Customs Office.

The Police said the search uncovered 118 bags of cocoa beans, weighing a total of 11,800 kilogrammes.

According to the security authorities, the plantain had allegedly been loaded onto the truck as a decoy to conceal the cocoa beans.

The cocoa consignment was intercepted before it could be transported across the border into Togo.

The four suspects are currently in Police custody assisting with investigations into the suspected cocoa smuggling operation.

The Police have not disclosed the specific charges the suspects are expected to face.

However, the Command said the suspects would be put before the court to face the full rigours of the law.

The latest interception highlights ongoing security efforts along Ghana’s borders to prevent the unauthorised movement of cocoa beans and other commodities out of the country.

The Police said further details would emerge as investigations continue.