Currency syndicate busted

Takoradi (Western Region) - Military personnel from the Second Battalion of Infantry (2BN) stationed at Apramdo near Takoradi under the command of Lt. Col. Aheator, have busted a currency syndicate which The Ghanaian Chronicle sources say is one of the largest in the recent history of the country.

The paper gathered that those who are involved in the deal whose names are being withheld, were arrested last Monday 16 December around 7.00 pm upon a tip-off. They managed to arrest the ringleader of the alleged currency syndicate.

Other members of the syndicate reportedly fled upon seeing the military presence the military presence in the area but some of them were later arrested after the ringleader had mentioned their names to the soldiers.

An eye-witness close to the scene said when the military personnel who carried out the night operation failed to arrest one of the suspects, they poured their venom on his 11-year old son whose name was only given as Kwaku and arrested him.

It was gathered that the boy was sent to the Apramdo barracks where he was detained to apparently compel his run-away father to surrender to them. The Ghanaian Chronicle further learnt that when the soldiers realised that the trick would not compel the minor’s father to give himself up, they released him the following day and arrested his senior brother whose name was given as Paa Kwesi, 20.

Further investigations reveald that after the soldiers had effected the arrested and detained the suspects in their guardroom, they sent signal to the authorities in Accra who also sent down CID and BNI officials who have now taken over the case and are investigating it.

The paper learnt that the suspects have allegedly mentioned a number of big names some from the security agencies that they are also behind the syndicate. It is however not known whether the currency the sustes are dealing in is one of the newly introduced national currencies in the 10,000 and 20,000 denominations.