Police Bust Ammunition Smuggling Ring: 12 Arrested with 598 Cartons of BB Cartridges at Nsakye Near Nsawam
The Ghana Police Service’s Intelligence Directorate (PID) has dismantled an ammunition smuggling operation, arresting 12 suspects in possession of 598 cartons of BB cartridges concealed in a truck near Nsakye, Eastern Region.
The arrests, executed during an intelligence-led raid on Tuesday, October 28, uncovered links to Nigerian exporters and highlight escalating concerns over illicit arms trafficking along the southern corridors.
The operation targeted a DAF articulated truck (EN 792-19) driven by Emmanuel Tsornyake, where officers intercepted 317 cartons of live cartridges and 281 empty ones hidden in a custom compartment.
Suspects nabbed at the scene included Ofori Jumbo, Paul Darko, Charles Laryea, Theophilus Laryea, and George Teye, caught loading the cargo. Further probes led to the apprehension of Noah Tretsu, Eric Danquah, Billy Gamati, Ebenezer Okyere, Samuel Kwadjo Baffoe, and Gloria Bartels.
Baffoe, identified as the cartridges’ owner, confessed to supplying two Nigerians—Tony and Chika—for export, with Bartels as his source. “The suspects intended to ship the ammunition to Nigeria via unmonitored routes,” a police source revealed, noting the BB cartridges, often used in hunting or conversion to live rounds, pose risks for crime syndicates.
The PID, acting on tips of a truck ferrying “farm supplies” that was actually ammunition, struck swiftly, preventing potential shipment. All 12 are in custody at the Nsawam Police Station and will appear before the Aburi District Court on charges including unlawful possession of arms under the Arms and Ammunition Act, 1962 (Act 489), and conspiracy.
Eastern Regional Police PRO DSP Faustina Ewur Bema said, “This bust disrupts a major smuggling network; we urge the public to report suspicious activities.” The raid follows a 20% rise in arms seizures in 2025, per police data, amid border vulnerabilities near Togo.
