Some of the suspects
A major police crackdown on suspected criminal networks operating along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border has led to the arrest of 74 persons in the Upper East Region following two intelligence-led operations carried out over a three-day period.
The operations, carried out between May 20 and May 22, 2026, formed part of a broader crackdown by the Ghana Police Service on criminal networks operating within the region and along the Ghana–Burkina Faso border corridor.
According to a police statement, the first operation took place on May 20, 2026 at Paga within the Ghana–Burkina Faso border buffer zone. The exercise resulted in the arrest of 40 suspects, made up of 28 males and 12 females.
The suspects include 23 Ghanaians, eight Nigerians, six Burkinabés, one Malian, and one Togolese national, which points to the cross-border nature of the suspected criminal activities.
Police said several exhibits were retrieved during the operation, including parcels and sacks of suspected narcotic substances as well as five motorbikes believed to have been used in the transportation and distribution of the substances.
A second operation was conducted on May 22, 2026 within the Navrongo Municipality, where the Special Operations Team raided identified criminal hotspots, including the Condemned Road Corridor, “After Six” Spot, and “Lighter Inn” Spot.
The statement said that operation led to the arrest of 34 additional suspects, comprising 32 males and two females.
Police also recovered 11 motorbikes, quantities of suspected narcotic substances, and assorted foreign cigarettes during the swoop.
The police said the suspects were arraigned before court on the same day, with proceedings presided over by Justice Ernest Pascal Gemadzie.
Sixteen of the suspects were remanded into police custody and are expected to reappear before the court on June 4, 2026. The remaining 22 suspects are currently being profiled for further action.
The police indicated that all the suspects remain in custody assisting with investigations, while efforts continue to track down other persons believed to be connected to criminal activities in the affected areas.
The Ghana Police Service reiterated its commitment to intensifying intelligence-led operations across the country as part of efforts to combat organised crime, narcotics trafficking, and related offences.
By Ernest Kofi Adu