Authorities have arrested four people for allegedly smuggling more than 100 bags of cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana.
The operation was carried out by a joint team from the Ghana Cocoa Board’s Anti-Smuggling Unit and local security agencies.
The truck carrying the beans was intercepted at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District.
Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, announced the seizure at a news conference in Sunyani.
“The operation led to the interception of a truck loaded with more than 100 bags of cocoa believed to have been smuggled from Côte d’Ivoire to Ghana.”
“Investigations led to the arrest of suspects… and they are currently assisting police investigations”, he said.
The case began after local farmers raised concerns during the Minister’s “Accounting to the People Series” tour.
They claimed some Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) and clerks were refusing to buy locally produced cocoa, despite government funds being available.
Instead, these buyers allegedly turned to cheaper, smuggled beans from across the border.
Mr. Akwaboa said the suspects will be prosecuted. He added that security patrols have been intensified along known smuggling routes to curb the practice.
He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s cocoa industry and supporting farmers, and urged the public to avoid politicising the sector, warning that it undermines national progress.
