A swift action by members of the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Task Force at dawn of Tuesday has resulted in the arrest of two persons for attempting to smuggle 130 bags of cocoa beans concealed under quarry stones from Ghana to neighbouring Togo.
The suspects, Dennis Hodo, a driver and his mate, Kwesi Edem, were accosted at the River Crossing point near Adowso in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region by the Task Force at about 04:45hrs with the consignments which were hidden in a fully-loaded tipper-truck with registration number GE 6486-23.
According to the Head of the Anti-Smuggling Task Force, Lawyer Charles Amenyaglo, the contrabands, packed in branded plastic sacks, originated from the Suhum District and were destined for Togo via Adowso, Ekye Amanfrom, Tease, Donkorkrom, Agordeke and Kpando Torkor routes.
The Task Force, acting upon tip-off, intercepted the truck which were transporting the items under the guise of carting quarry stones. Upon further interrogations, the suspects revealed admitted that they were contracted to transport the items to neigbouring Togo.
The two are expected to be arraigned before court by the Mpraeso District Police Command and charged with offences of Purchase of Cocoa without authority contrary to S4 of Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 1984(PNDCL81), attempting to smuggle cocoa beans contrary to S317 (i) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960(Act29), and attempting to export cocoa beans which have not been inspected, graded and sealed by an Inspector of cocoa, contrary to S 3 of Cocoa Industry Regulations Act, 1968(NLCD278).
The latest arrest is one of many such success stories recorded in the war against cocoa smuggling since the beginning of the 2023/24 cocoa season.
In the past two weeks, the Krobo Odumase Circuit Court has sentenced two persons to a total of 14 years in prison in separate incidents of attempted smuggling of cocoa beans to neighbouring Togo.
