The Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board, in collaboration with security agencies, has arrested four suspects for their alleged involvement in smuggling more than 100 bags of cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana.
Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboa, Bono Regional Minister, disclosed this at a press briefing in Sunyani, stating that the arrests followed a targeted operation at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District.
According to him, the operation led to the interception of a truck transporting over 100 bags of cocoa beans suspected to have been smuggled across the border into Ghana.
Mr Akwaboa explained that the intelligence for the operation was gathered during his recent “Accounting to the People Series” tour of the area, which provided an opportunity to engage directly with residents and farmers.
He noted that during the tour, cocoa farmers expressed concerns over the conduct of some Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) and cocoa clerks, who had allegedly failed to purchase beans from local farmers despite receiving financial clearance from the government.
Instead, the Minister said, some of these actors were reported to be purchasing cocoa beans from smugglers operating along the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire border, undermining the local cocoa market.
Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the four suspects, whose identities have been withheld for security reasons. Mr Akwaboa indicated that the individuals are currently in custody and assisting with police investigations, and will be prosecuted in due course.
He added that security agencies had intensified surveillance and operations across known smuggling hotspots in the region to clamp down on illicit activities within the cocoa sector.
Reaffirming government’s commitment to safeguarding the cocoa industry, Mr Akwaboa stressed the need to protect the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and maintain the integrity of the country’s cocoa value chain.
He further cautioned against the politicisation of cocoa purchasing, urging stakeholders to prioritise national interest over personal gain.
