Four individuals are in police custody after security operatives intercepted a truck carrying over 100 bags of suspected smuggled cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana in a coordinated anti-smuggling operation in the Bono Region.
The suspects were arrested at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District following a joint intelligence-led operation by the Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and other security agencies.
Briefing the media in Sunyani, Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa confirmed the seizure, describing it as part of intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal cocoa trade along Ghana’s western border.
He said the intercepted truck was found loaded with cocoa beans believed to have been illegally brought into the country from Côte d’Ivoire.
According to him, the operation was triggered by intelligence gathered during his recent “Accounting to the People” engagement tour, where cocoa farmers raised concerns about irregularities in the local purchasing system.
Farmers reportedly complained that some Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) and purchasing clerks were failing to buy cocoa from legitimate farmers, despite having government clearance to do so. Instead, they allegedly sourced beans from smugglers across the border.
Mr Akwaboa said the complaints prompted further investigations, leading to the arrest of the suspects, who are currently assisting police with ongoing inquiries.
He assured that the individuals involved would be prosecuted once investigations are completed, while warning that security agencies have stepped up surveillance in identified smuggling corridors.
The Regional Minister stressed that government remains committed to safeguarding Ghana’s cocoa sector and protecting the livelihoods of farmers who depend on it.
He also cautioned against politicising cocoa purchasing processes, urging stakeholders to prioritise national interest over personal or partisan gains.
