Security operatives from the National Security Council Secretariat have dismantled an organized counterfeit currency network operating within Greater Accra and nearby areas, apprehending 16 Ghanaian and foreign suspects.
The coordinated crackdown, executed across six separate intelligence-driven raids between June 12 and July 24, disrupted large-scale networks producing and distributing fake domestic and foreign tender.
A formal statement released by the secretariat on Tuesday revealed that officers confiscated four specialized printing machines, six motor vehicles, and two motorcycles utilized for transport.
During the raids, officers intercepted fake notes ready for market entry, including $543,000, GH¢196,600, and CFA60,000. Additionally, unprinted currency coupons totaling $5.29 million, GH¢19.55 million, and CFA623.55 million were retrieved before final production.
Investigative findings showed that the syndicates relied on organized logistics comprising printing technicians, regional smugglers, and commercial dispatch riders delivering fake banknotes directly to buyers.
A major hit on a cross-border syndicate led to the arrest of three Ghanaians and four foreign accomplices, alongside the seizure of $65,900 in fake notes and three vehicles.
In Amuzu near Kasoa, operatives arrested a suspect after uncovering a printing device, fake gold bars, and substantial quantities of fake bills. Subsequent raids in Lashibi and Klagon yielded five arrests, equipment, and raw materials from a hidden storage depot.
At Lakeside Estate, officers intercepted a distributor alongside two delivery motorcycles, impounding five boxes packed with fake GH¢200 bills bearing an estimated face value of GH¢12.42 million.
Investigators highlighted that syndicate members strategically used administrative sites and religious facilities as cover to print and store illicit funds.
All 16 accused persons are currently held in state custody as case files move to the Office of the Attorney-General for prosecution at the Accra High Court. State prosecutors have initiated legal steps to permanently confiscate all vehicles, machinery, and communications equipment seized.
National Security authorities have advised financial institutions, property owners, and church leaders to maintain strict vigilance and immediately report unusual foreign exchange activity or suspicious printing operations within their premises.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana