The national anti-cocoa smuggling taskforce division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has intercepted smuggled cocoa beans in Mpraeso, located in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern Region.
A total of 130 bags of cocoa beans were smuggled from Suhum, with an exit through Mpraeso, and then transported across the Afram Plains River to Kwahu Afram Plains South. The smugglers had planned to take the beans through the Volta Region and finally enter Togo.
Following a tip-off received by a team of national security personnel in the Eastern Region during their routine surveillance within the Kwahu block, the smugglers were apprehended. Kwasi Edem, 55, and Dennis Hodo, a 28-year-old tipper truck driver, are currently in police custody at the Mpraeso Central Police Station, assisting in investigations.
The smugglers had concealed 130 cocoa bean bags in the tipper truck, covering the surface with chippings in an attempt to deceive security agencies.
During a media interview, the municipal chief executive for Kwahu South, Emmanuel Atta Ofori Snr, highlighted the success of the operation initiated two years ago, resulting in the arrest of smugglers attempting to transport Ghanaian natural resources to neighboring countries.
He emphasized, “My district will not be used as an exit point for people to smuggle Ghanaian natural resources to neighboring countries.”
He further called on metropolitan, municipal, and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to enhance security in their respective districts and borders, aiming to retain Ghanaian natural resources, especially cocoa, within the country and combat smuggling.
