The Ghana Police Service has denied any involvement in a cocoa smuggling activities at the Missiga security checkpoint in Bawku, Upper East Region.
This denial comes on the heels of an incident on October 9, 2024, when a misunderstanding occurred among personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Police regarding an intercepted truck believed to be carrying smuggled cocoa bags.
According to the Police, the truck was stopped based on actionable intelligence, and their officers were actively escorting it to the Bawku Divisional Police Command.
The intention was clear: to hand over the seized cocoa to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for further investigation and prosecution of those responsible, following established protocols designed to combat such illicit activities.
The Police have further highlighted their commitment to eradicating cocoa smuggling, noting the recent interception of two other similar attempts in the region, both of which were successfully handed over to COCOBOD for prosecution.
They firmly stated that the allegations of their involvement in smuggling operations are baseless and counterproductive to the ongoing efforts to safeguard the cocoa industry in Ghana.