The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has transferred 17 seized gold bars—valued at approximately $1.7 million—to the state-run Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), in a move underscoring government efforts to tighten oversight of the nation’s gold supply chain.
The handover took place at the Ministry of the Interior in Accra following the interception of the bullion by NACOC officers at the Paga border in northern Ghana. The gold, authorities say, was being smuggled out of the country by two Burkinabe nationals, who now face charges tied to the illicit transport and trade of precious metals.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak pledged ongoing support for GoldBod’s regulatory mandate. "This collaboration reinforces our commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s mineral wealth," he said during the handover ceremony.
GoldBod Chief Executive Sammy Gyamfi welcomed the transfer, lauding the commission’s efforts. “We are grateful for this decisive action. Continued inter-agency cooperation is vital if we are to succeed in curbing illegal gold flows,” he said.
The event was attended by top ministry and agency officials, including NACOC Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey and Chief Director of the Interior Ministry Doreen Annan.
Ghana remains one of Africa’s largest gold producers, but illegal mining and smuggling have long posed challenges to regulation and revenue collection. The government has in recent years stepped up enforcement and formalization efforts, aiming to tighten controls in a sector that is both economically critical and vulnerable to exploitation.
