Ho, June 4, GNA - Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, Volta Regional Police Commander, on Friday said the Regional Command was deploying more police personnel to Ahamasu area in the Kadjebi District in a bid to check cocoa smuggling in the area. "We are gearing up against economic saboteurs as the cocoa season draws near," he said. DCOP Ampah-Bennin said the measure had become necessary in view of the frequent number of smuggling cases being recorded in the area. In recent times, police at Ahamasu barrier arrested a number of vehicles with cocoa beans being smuggled into neighbouring Togo. He said on Tuesday June 1, this year, police at the barrier intercepted a Mercedes 207 benz bus with registration number AS 334 P loaded with seven fertilizer bags of cocoa beans bound for Togo.

DCOP Ampah-Bennin said one Emmanuel Kofi on board the bus who claimed ownership, confirmed that he was sending the commodity to Dayi Nkwanta in the Republic of Togo.

He said the vehicle with its driver, William Bakoyeya and Kofi, the owner of the beans, were all in police custody. DCOP Mr Ampah-Bennin said the Police last week arrested a taxi cab in the same area with 11 bags of cocoa beans being smuggled to Togo. Passengers on board the taxi, upon seeing the police patrol team, took to their heels but a joint search by the police and some members of the community led to the arrest of James Ntim, driver, Aaron Akumanim and Komla Adzimah who were all in police custody pending further investigations, he added.