- Police intercepted two trucks at Big Ada carrying 238 maxi bags of cocoa beans.
- Trucks, registered GN 6953-22 and GR 9877-12, attempted to offload cocoa onto a canoe for illegal transport.
- Operation carried out around 1 a.m. on Thursday, following surveillance from Afienya.
- Cocoa beans handed over to COCOBOD, suspects detained for further action.
- Smuggling blamed on price differences between Ghana (₵3,280 per 64kg bag) and neighbouring countries (₵4,500–₵5,000).
- COCOBOD and security agencies collaborating to curb smuggling; reward scheme in place for informants.
Security officials have thwarted yet another cocoa smuggling attempt after intercepting two heavily loaded trucks in the Ada enclave.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Thursday around 1 a.m., led to the seizure of 238 maxi bags of cocoa beans believed to have been bound for illegal export.
The trucks, identified by registration numbers GN 6953-22 and GR 9877-12, were stopped at Big Ada, where the smugglers allegedly planned to move the bags onto a canoe for onward transport across the border.
Police escorted the vehicles to the Tema Regional Police Headquarters, where the beans were offloaded and handed over to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The suspects were placed in police custody pending further investigations.
According to a source at COCOBOD, the operation followed days of surveillance from Afienya, triggered by intelligence that smugglers were preparing to move cocoa out of the country.
Smuggling remains a persistent challenge in Ghana’s cocoa industry, with huge losses attributed to the practice each year. A COCOBOD official explained that the price gap between Ghana and neighbouring countries continues to drive illegal activity.
Currently, a 64kg bag of cocoa sells for GH¢3,280 in Ghana, but in nearby countries, the same bag fetches between GH¢4,500 and GH¢5,000. This stark difference has created a lucrative black market for smugglers.
To counter the trend, COCOBOD has introduced support schemes for farmers—including free fertilisers, mass spraying programmes, and tree-cutting initiatives—to boost local yields and discourage smuggling.
Additionally, the organisation is working closely with state security agencies to intensify patrols at smuggling hotspots. A reward policy has also been launched to encourage the public to report illegal cocoa movements.
Officials warn that smuggling undermines Ghana’s cocoa revenue, jeopardises farmer incentives, and threatens the long-term sustainability of the sector.
