Four arrested as police seize 11.8 tonnes of cocoa hidden beneath a load of plantain allegedly bound for Togo

The North East Regional Police Command has arrested four suspects and intercepted 118 bags of cocoa beans weighing 11,800 kilogrammes at Bunkpurugu in the North East Region.

The cocoa, suspected to have been destined for neighbouring Togo through the Bunkpurugu-Togo border, was seized after the Police received intelligence about a truck transporting the commodity under suspicious circumstances.

The suspects have been identified as 35-year-old Dickson Asante, the driver of the truck; 19-year-old Gideon Tab, his mate; 22-year-old Mohammed Mumin; and 23-year-old Ernestina Akugre, who allegedly claimed ownership of the consignment.

According to the Police, the suspects were travelling in a Hyundai Rhino truck with registration number AS-3272-25, which was loaded with plantain and cocoa and heading towards the Togo border.

The vehicle was intercepted on August 9, 2026, at the Bunkpurugu Police Snap Check Point following a tip-off received by the Police.

A statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on its social media platforms on Tuesday, August 11, said a patrol team stopped the truck and arrested all four occupants.

The truck was subsequently escorted to the Customs Office, where a joint security team conducted a search.

The team comprised personnel from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Defence Intelligence, the GRA Customs Division and National Security.

During the search, the security personnel discovered 118 bags of cocoa beans weighing 11,800 kilogrammes concealed beneath the plantain.

The Police said the plantain appeared to have been used as a decoy to conceal the cocoa and facilitate its movement towards the Togo border.

The four suspects remain in custody and are assisting the Police with investigations.

The Police said the suspects would be arraigned before court to face the appropriate charges.