Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly smuggling more than 100 bags of cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana, following a joint operation by the Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board and security agencies.

The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, said the arrests were made at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District after authorities intercepted a truck carrying the cocoa consignment.

Speaking at a press briefing in Sunyani, he revealed that the operation was triggered by a tip-off he received during his “Accounting to the People Series” tour, where he engaged local communities.

According to him, cocoa farmers had raised concerns that some Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) and cocoa clerks failed to purchase their beans despite receiving financial clearance from the government. Instead, some buyers were allegedly sourcing cocoa from smugglers operating along the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire border.

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Akwaboa said investigations led to the arrest of the suspects, who are currently assisting police with ongoing inquiries and are expected to face prosecution.

He added that security operations have been intensified across known smuggling hotspots in the region as part of efforts to curb illegal trade.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, he stressed the need to protect the integrity of Ghana’s cocoa sector and improve the livelihoods of farmers.

He also cautioned the public against politicising cocoa purchasing, warning that such actions undermine the national interest.