Man in police grips for allegedly smuggling fertilizers

A male adult whose identity is being withheld is in the custody of the Ashanti Regional Police, in connection with suspected smuggled quantities of fertilizer meant for farmers.

This was revealed to GBC News in Kumasi by a source at the office.

The source noted that about 500 bags of fertilizer meant for cocoa production have also been impounded by a joint Police-National Investigations Bureau (NIB), team.

The arrest followed a tip-off that was keenly followed by the two security agencies in the Ashanti Region.

The suspected smuggled goods had been transported from Goaso in the Ahafo region and kept in some stores at Achiase in the Kwabre East Municipality ahead of distribution to the intended destinations as Achiase only served as a transit point.

According to the source, the joint Police-NIB team swooped in on the goods around 10 a.m. on Friday, August 26, 2022, during which the suspect was arrested and first sent and held at the Kenyase District Police overnight before transferred to the Regional Headquarters for further investigations.

Correspondent Nicholas Osei-Wusu reports that when he followed up on the lead to the Kenyase District Police Headquarters Saturday morning, August 27, 2022, a substantial number of bagged goods believed to be the suspected impounded fertilizer were seen packed in a room within an uncompleted building at the frontage of the District Police Station.

However, Police officers at post at the time of the visit were tight-lipped.
Also, the Kenyase District Police Commander was said to have traveled for a meeting.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer at the Regional Police Headquarters said he was yet to receive a briefing on the matter.