Four individuals arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana have been granted bail by the Fiapre Circuit Court in the Sunyani West Municipality.
The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed, were each granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 and are expected to reappear before the court on May 13, 2026.
Their arrest followed a joint operation by the Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board and security personnel at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West Municipality in April this year.
During the operation, officers intercepted a truck carrying more than 100 bags of cocoa beans believed to have been transported illegally across the border from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana.
Speaking to the media in Sunyani, Bono Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboa, said the suspects have also been directed to report to the Nkrankwanta Police Station once every week as investigations continue.
He stressed that the government remains resolute in safeguarding Ghana’s cocoa industry and preventing illegal cross-border trade that threatens the sector.
