Counterfeit US dollars in BoG box
A counterfeiting operation has been uncovered in Sarpeiman, a suburb of the Ga West Municipality, where authentic cash boxes belonging to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) were discovered in connection with a sophisticated criminal enterprise.
During a recent inspection, the Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, Richard Jakpa, confirmed that the recovered cash boxes were indeed genuine BoG property.
“Authorities have verified that these boxes are authentic,” Jakpa stated, calling for further investigation into how government-owned assets became entangled in an illicit operation.
Jakpa revealed that the scheme, uncovered in February, was operating under the guise of a small battery-charging shop located in an abandoned building.
The elderly man running the shop, known locally as the “Battery Doctor,” is believed to have provided cover for the real activities—namely, the mass production of counterfeit currency and imitation gold bars.
National Security operatives seized ten 40-foot containers filled with forged Ghana cedis, U.S. dollars, and gold-plated metals during the raid. According to officials, two additional containers linked to the operation were moved just before the intervention.
Jakpa assured the public that operatives are currently pursuing a man identified only as “Alhaji,” suspected to be the mastermind behind the elaborate setup.
“There is compelling evidence connecting Alhaji to the Sarpeiman crime scene, suggesting links to a broader network involved in financial crimes,” Jakpa stated.
“Alhaji is a central figure in this syndicate, and efforts are underway to bring him to justice,” he added.
It would be recalled that in February, National Security conducted a major operation in which a substantial but unspecified amount of U.S. dollars and Ghana cedi notes were seized from twelve 20-foot shipping containers.
The containers were traced to a warehouse in Sarpeiman, where a special operation was launched following a tip-off.
The hidden currency—primarily bundles of U.S. dollars—was discovered inside wooden boxes filled with cement. During the sting operation, additional boxes opened at the warehouse revealed more cash concealed in compartments barricaded with plywood and sealed with charcoal.
According to National Security, two containers remain unaccounted for, but state security trackers are actively pursuing them.
Further searches of the warehouse uncovered even more alarming items, including boxes of metals suspected to be gold bars, counterfeit Ghana cedi notes in GH¢50 and GH¢100 denominations, as well as fake Ghana Army uniforms and boots.