CID arrested 41, GH¢1.2m seized in Accra forex sweep

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 41 suspects and seized more than GH¢1.2 million in cash during a coordinated operation targeting illegal foreign exchange trading hotspots across Accra.

Addressing journalists at the CID Headquarters, the Director-General of CID, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, said the joint operation, conducted with the Bank of Ghana, was carried out on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at locations including Tudu, Circle, the Airport area, and Cantonments.

“In total, 29 suspects, including Togolese, Beninois, Nigerians, and Ghanaians, were arrested,” Ms Donkor disclosed.

She explained that the early-morning swoop, led by the CID’s Operations Unit with Bank of Ghana officials acting on intelligence, initially netted 29 suspects. A follow-up operation an hour later resulted in an additional 12 arrests.

Over GH¢1.2m Recovered

Ms Donkor detailed the cash recovered during the exercise:

GH¢1,266,770
100,000 CFA francs
3,383,570 Nigerian naira (including 1,266,770 naira held as e-cash on a Moneypoint device)
US$5,105

“All cash exhibits have been secured and will be forwarded to the Bank of Ghana for safekeeping as investigations continue, after which the suspects will be charged and put before the court,” she stated.

Earlier Operations and Total Arrests Hit 90

The CID Director-General also revealed that a similar operation was conducted on November 20, 2025, at Osu Oxford Street and around Kwame Nkrumah Circle near GCB, leading to 28 arrests. Those suspects, she said, were granted police enquiry bail by the Accra Circuit Court.

“In all, a total of 90 suspects have so far been arrested since this operation commenced in August 2025. Out of this number, 13 have been charged and brought before the Accra Circuit Court,” Ms Donkor added.

She noted that the sustained operations are part of a nationwide effort to sanitise the foreign exchange market and enforce compliance with Ghana’s financial regulations.

Speaking on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, Ms Donkor thanked the Bank of Ghana for its continued support.

“We also urge all individuals involved in this illegal trade to desist, as offenders will be arrested and prosecuted. We further advise the general public to deal with the banks for all their forex transactions,” she cautioned.

The Ghana Police Service says it expects deeper collaboration with the central bank as efforts intensify to clamp down on illegal forex activities nationwide.

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