The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in Ghana has announced the successful execution of a series of targeted operations, conducted between June 12, 2026, and July 24, 2026. These operations effectively dismantled high-level, organised transnational and domestic criminal syndicates involved in large-scale printing, possession, and distribution of counterfeit local and foreign currencies. The operations were conducted in collaboration with relevant security and intelligence agencies.
The operations led to the arrest of sixteen principal suspects, comprising both Ghanaian and foreign nationals. The suspects were involved in the printing and distribution of counterfeit currency notes that had infiltrated commercial hubs, foreign exchange markets, and financial networks across the Greater Accra Region and surrounding districts. The NSCS had been conducting sustained, covert intelligence mapping into reports of counterfeit currency.
Tactical units executed six coordinated raids across primary operational hubs, resulting in the dismantling of four printing hubs. Four counterfeit currency printing machines were seized, along with six vehicles and two motorcycles utilised for transit and dispatch. The seizures dealt a significant blow to the syndicates' operations.
The operations resulted in the recovery of a total of USD 543,000.00, GHS 196,600.00, and CFA 60,000.00 in ready-to-spend counterfeit notes. Additionally, USD 5,293,500.00, GHS 19,553,700.00, and CFA 623,550,000.00 in coupons yet to be processed and printed were also seized. The large quantities of counterfeit currency and printing materials indicate the significant scale of the syndicates' operations.
All 16 suspects, alongside seized physical and digital exhibits, were transferred to the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) for forensic examination and formal state prosecution. The team completed and submitted case dockets to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice. The NSCS statement confirmed that formal prosecutions are actively ongoing at the Accra High Court.
The successful operations demonstrate the commitment of Ghana's National Security Council Secretariat to combating organised crime and protecting the country's financial systems. The dismantling of the syndicates is expected to significantly reduce the circulation of counterfeit currency in Ghana.
The NSCS operations were conducted in collaboration with relevant security and intelligence agencies, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in addressing complex security challenges. The efforts of the NSCS and its partners have resulted in a significant disruption to the activities of transnational and domestic criminal syndicates involved in counterfeit currency printing.
Key points
- The operations resulted in the arrest of 16 suspects and the seizure of large quantities of counterfeit currency and printing materials.
- Four printing hubs were dismantled, and four counterfeit currency printing machines were seized.
- Formal prosecutions are actively ongoing at the Accra High Court.
