On July 31, 2024, Bolgatanga Police in the Upper East Region intercepted an articulated truck carrying 500 bags of cocoa beans that were allegedly being smuggled into Burkina Faso through the Kulungugu border in the Pusiga District. The truck, with registration number AS 8088-12, was loaded with cocoa beans sourced from the Ashanti Region and was intercepted near Zuarungu, the capital of the Bolgatanga East District, close to Zuarungu Senior High School.
Initial inspections by the police revealed a customs tracker number JT 701 and a transit sticker on the vehicle’s windscreen. The accompanying documents described the cargo as waste cocoa beans. A subsequent joint investigation, involving the police, customs, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), Defense Intelligence, and the Plant Protection and Regulatory section of the Ghana Immigration Service, took place at the Zuarungu office of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
During the examination, it was discovered that the cocoa beans originated from Gonokrom in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono Region and were being transported by Wadraogo Brenmah. The official documentation, however, claimed the cocoa was from La Côte d’Ivoire. On August 2, 2024, a phytosanitary certificate was produced, asserting the beans were disease-free. Despite the certificate, the matter was referred to officials of Ghana COCOBOD for further scrutiny.
On August 3, 2024, COCOBOD’s Director of Special Services, Mr. Charles Amenyaglo, directed that the truck should not be allowed to proceed. COCOBOD officials, including Quality Control Officer Mr. Ernest Mensah, arrived in Bolgatanga to re-examine the cocoa beans. Their inspection, completed on August 6, 2024, confirmed that the beans were not waste, as previously documented, but high-quality cocoa from Ghana, not La Côte d’Ivoire.
COCOBOD’s report recommended that the consignment be confiscated for a comprehensive analysis to verify the beans’ quality and origin. The report also suggested transporting the beans to a suitable warehouse for reconditioning to prevent deterioration due to high moisture content. Further investigation was advised to determine the exact origin and destination of the cocoa and to uncover any potential smuggling operations.
As of the latest update, the articulated truck remains at the Zuarungu Customs Office premises, awaiting further action.
Full report on : gbconline
