General News of 2026-09-23
Gold Bars, Millions of Dollars and Cedis: Inside details of Ghana's counterfeit currency production galore
One fetish priest and a pastor have been arrested, while another pastor remains on the run, following a major crackdown on alleged counterfeit currency production and distribution in Ghana.
The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), working with security and intelligence agencies, says it has dismantled four major counterfeit currency printing hubs and arrested 16 suspects in a nationwide operation targeting criminal syndicates allegedly involved in the production, possession and distribution of counterfeit Ghanaian and foreign currencies.
The operations, conducted between June 12 and July 24, 2026, resulted in the seizure of printing machines, vehicles, motorcycles, counterfeit notes, currency coupons and other items, including fake gold bars.
The NSCS, in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 22, said six coordinated raids were carried out across the Greater Accra Region and surrounding districts following months of intelligence gathering.
Among the suspects arrested in the operations was Nana Nyarko Derrick Dapaah, who was apprehended during a raid at Amuzu, a suburb of Kasoa.
According to the NSCS, the residential compound where he was arrested was allegedly operating under the cover of a traditional spiritual centre.
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Security operatives reportedly seized a counterfeit currency printing machine, fake gold bars, five mobile phones and assorted counterfeit notes and unprocessed currency coupons.
In a separate operation at Lashibi and Klagon, five people were arrested after security agencies allegedly uncovered printing equipment at an office facility.
Follow-up intelligence led investigators to the headquarters of a religious facility at Klagon, where administrative offices and residential quarters were allegedly being used as a counterfeit currency production and storage facility.
The operation resulted in the seizure of another printing machine and two operational vehicles.
The NSCS said investigators also recovered US$5,287,900, CFA 623,530,000 and GH¢7,129,000 in counterfeit currency coupons allegedly intended for further printing.
A pastor, Rev Emmanuel Boakye-Danquah, was named by the NSCS as being at large in connection with the operation.
The development has placed religious and traditional spiritual premises under scrutiny, with the NSCS alleging that some of the criminal networks deliberately used such locations as cover for their activities.
The Secretariat said the premises allegedly provided a degree of concealment for printing equipment and counterfeit materials while reducing suspicion around activities taking place there.
Across the six operations, security agencies said they seized US$543,000, GH¢196,600 and CFA 60,000 in finished counterfeit notes.
They also recovered US$5,293,500, GH¢19,553,700 and CFA 623,550,000 in unprocessed currency coupons, allegedly prepared for further printing.
At Lakeside, a commercial dispatch rider, Issah Ibrahim, was arrested after allegedly transporting pre-packaged counterfeit currency to buyers.
Five boxes containing counterfeit GH¢200 notes with an estimated face value of GH¢12,421,600 were seized, together with two registered motorcycles.
Another suspect, Adamu Haruna, was identified as being at large.
At a separate alleged distribution point, Solomon Acheampong, 54, was arrested, while Amankwah Bismark, described by the NSCS as a suspected kingpin, remains at large.
A white Toyota Corolla, three mobile phones, GH¢500 in genuine currency and assorted counterfeit coupons were seized.
On July 24, security operatives raided a hotel facility at Achimota Mile 7, where they arrested Osman Iddrisu, 50, whom the NSCS described as a key technical operator.
He was allegedly found with mobile printing equipment.
A subsequent search of his residence at Amasaman uncovered what investigators described as a fully equipped secondary printing facility.
Two printing machines and quantities of counterfeit notes and currency coupons were seized.
The NSCS said the networks involved alleged transnational facilitators, technical printing operators and commercial couriers who used motorcycles to distribute counterfeit currency.
It said the seizure of the printing machines and large quantities of finished notes and unprocessed coupons had disrupted what it described as a potential threat to monetary stability.
The 16 arrested suspects, together with physical and digital exhibits, have been transferred to the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) for forensic examination and further legal processes.
The NSCS said case dockets had been completed and submitted to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, with prosecution proceedings ongoing at the Accra High Court, General Jurisdiction.
It added that special intelligence teams remain deployed to locate suspects who are still at large, including Rev Emmanuel Boakye-Danquah.
The Secretariat has urged financial institutions, property owners and administrators of religious and traditional spiritual facilities to exercise greater due diligence over activities conducted on their premises.
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