The Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) Intelligence Unit, together with the Asamankese District Police Command, has intercepted cocoa beans packaged in 35 oil drums for smuggling at Asuokaw, near Asamankese in the Eastern Region.
A total of 35 drums, which look like containing oil, but rather cocoa beans, were seized in a KIA vehicle with registration number ER 856-14 on Friday night, after a joint operation by the Cocobod and police team.
David Nartey, who claimed to be the owner of the vehicle, has been arrested and is assisting the police in further investigations.
The content and weight of one drum when opened by the team was about 144kg (two bags and 16kg), whilst all 35 drums have been sent to Cocobod headquarters to assess its quantity and quality.
Mr. Charles Amenyaglo, Director of Special Services, Ghana Cocobod, in an interview, said cocoa smuggling had been a business for some Ghanaians who go to the farmers and cheat them to get the cocoa beans for smuggling to neighboring countries due to differences in price.
According to him, Cocobod had recorded eight cases of cocoa smuggling recently in the Eastern Region, and just last and this week similar cases were recorded in Tepa, Elubo, Afloa and Ho.
Mr. Charles Amenyaglo called on Ghanaians to support Cocobod to fight cocoa smuggling by giving tip offs to the police.
