A suspected smuggling operation involving three articulator trucks loaded with thousands of drums of cooking oil has been uncovered by a special monitoring and intelligence team led by Hajia Rashida Mahama, Head of Monitoring at Ghana’s entry points.
Declared as exports destined for the Ivory Coast, the trucks were instead found en route to Kumasi—raising suspicions of tax evasion and illegal diversion of goods back into Ghana. Authorities discovered that the vehicles’ tracking devices had been deliberately tampered with, effectively disabling digital surveillance.
Each truck carried 2,129 drums of cooking oil, and preliminary investigations suggest collusion between drivers and goods owners to falsely declare shipments as exports to circumvent local taxes.
Hajia Rashida Mahama called for enhanced human surveillance at border points, warning that overreliance on electronic tracking leaves gaps smugglers exploit.
“The trackers alone are not enough,” she said, urging the government to strengthen physical monitoring systems to clamp down on illicit trade.
Investigations continue as officials vow to hold all responsible parties accountable.
