The police have intercepted two cargo trucks loaded with 238 bags of cocoa beans at Big Ada in the Greater Accra Region on suspicion of smuggling.

The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation in the early hours of Thursday, September 11, 2025.

According to a graphic.com.gh report on September 11, 2025, the trucks, with registration numbers GN 6953-22 and GR 9877-12, had loaded the beans in jute sacks concealed within other bags.

The suspects were transporting the consignment from Afienya to Big Ada, allegedly intending to ferry it out of the country by canoe.

The police stopped the vehicles around 1 am and escorted them to the Tema Regional Police Headquarters, where the cocoa was offloaded and handed over to officials of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

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The suspects are currently in custody, pending further investigations.

Security sources disclosed that the operation was based on a tip-off, with police tracking the movement of the trucks until their interception.

Smuggling has become a persistent challenge due to significant price differences between Ghana and neighboring countries.

“While a 64-kilogram bag of cocoa beans is priced at about GH₵3,280 in Ghana, the same quantity reportedly sells for about GH₵4,500 to GH₵5,000 elsewhere,” the report said.

COCOBOD has repeatedly warned that cocoa smuggling undermines Ghana’s economy and denies farmers fair returns.

The organisation says it is working with security agencies to clamp down on the illegal trade, while continuing interventions such as fertilizer distribution, farm spraying, and replanting programs to support local producers.

To strengthen the fight, COCOBOD has also introduced a reward scheme to encourage citizens to volunteer information on smuggling activities.

“The policy aims to incentivise the public to report smuggling activities and help prevent the loss of revenue,” the report added.

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