JOINT SECURITY OPERATIONS FOIL MULTIPLE COCOA SMUGGLING ATTEMPTS

Date: 11th September 2025

A series of coordinated operations by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Taskforce, and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service have led to the interception of three separate cocoa smuggling attempts around Sogakope in the Volta Region.

In the first operation on Monday, a joint NIB and Taskforce team, acting on intelligence, intercepted a KIA truck with registration number GT 3869-10 carrying 46 bags of cocoa beans allegedly bound for neighbouring Togo through the Aflao border. The driver, identified as Bismark Abador, confessed during interrogation that the cocoa was loaded from the Ada enclave. The suspect, vehicle, and consignment were subsequently handed over to the Sogakope District Police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

In a separate operation at Kpotame, MTTD officers acting on a tip- off intercepted two vehicles transporting 27 bags of cocoa hidden in improvised compartments. The drivers, Richard Nyasor and David Nukunu, admitted loading the cocoa from Accra with the intention of smuggling it into Togo. Both suspects, together with the vehicles and seized cocoa, were handed over to the Sogakope Police.

MTTD personnel, in a different intelligence-led operation, intercepted yet another vehicle at Kpotame, concealing some 24 bags of cocoa in its roof compartment. The consignment, also traced to Accra, was destined for smuggling through Aflao. The driver, however, managed to escape arrest. The vehicle and cocoa are currently in police custody, while efforts are underway to apprehend the suspect.

Management of COCOBOD commended the Taskforce for its swift action and reaffirmed support for increased intelligence-led operations in cocoa regions. The public is urged to help combat cocoa smuggling, which endangers Ghana’s economy and cocoa farmers’ welfare.