In a joint operation, the National Security and the task force of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) have seized a petrol tanker filled with bags of cocoa beans.
The tanker was allegedly attempting to smuggle bags of cocoa beans from the Volta Region of Ghana to Togo, a neighbouring country.
In an interview with Charles Amenyoglo, the Director of Special Service and the Head of the Anti-Smuggling task force at COCOBOD, noted that this operation is part of a larger effort to protect Ghana’s cocoa industry from illegal activities.
“Yesterday we brought a COCOBOD truck to come and evacuate the cocoa. We engaged people who could enter the tanker to remove the cocoa, so eventually we took over. Because we can pick the cocoa, recondition it and restandardise it.
“So, we came for it and took it to our warehouse in Tema; our Take Over Centre. After we weighed it, it was about 178 bags which is about GH¢360,000,” he stated.
He continued: “They are with the security agencies and are being processed. This means we are very alert with our intelligence. A word of caution is that nobody can buy cocoa on its own unless you are licenced by the Ghana Cocoa Board to do so and if you violate this provision, the punishment is 5 years minimum and maximum 10 years without any option of refining,” he stated.
