Ghanaian police intercepted 30 bags of suspected smuggled cocoa beans in a Toyota Coaster bus (GR 8247-20) at the Brimso checkpoint on July 21.
Deputy Regional Commander DCOP Kofi Adu confirmed the driver, Bernard Owusu Agyemang, 42, failed to provide documentation for the cargo during the 4:20 p.m. inspection.
Agyemang claimed an individual named “Martin” instructed him to deliver the beans to an unnamed woman in Mankessim, offering only a phone number as contact. DCOP Adu stated investigations aim to dismantle the smuggling network, vowing that offenders “will face the full rigours of the law.” The police appealed for public tips, assuring whistleblower confidentiality.
The seized beans were transferred to COCOBOD’s Cape Coast office for quality assessment. Principal Quality Control Officer Maxwell Ntiamoah received the consignment amid ongoing efforts to curb illegal cocoa trading. Cocoa smuggling threatens Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings and undermines quality control systems critical to the nation’s economic stability.
