The Ghana Police Service has recovered a large cache of weapons, vehicles, and valuables from a criminal gang behind a series of violent rural bank robberies across the country.

According to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Lydia Yaako Donkor, the items seized include a wide range of weapons and valuables from the gang, including:

• 3 AK-47 assault rifles
• 1 single-barrel gun with 1 AAA ammunition
• 7 pump-action guns with 96 rounds of AAA ammunition
• 3 Bruni pistols with 40 rounds of ammunition
• 1 M&P pistol with 4 rounds of ammunition
• Cash of GH¢18,845, $104, 190 Liberian dollars, ₦5,800, and CFA 31,000
• A quantity of assorted Ghanaian coins
• 6 vehicles and 4 motorbikes
• Several mobile phones and jewellery

Briefing the media on Wednesday, September 24, Ms Donkor said the discovery was made after six months of sustained intelligence operations under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police.

“Through sustained intelligence operations, the Ghana Police Service has successfully dismantled the notorious criminal syndicate who have been behind several robberies in various regions of the country,” she stated.

The syndicate, believed to be made up of about 15 members, has carried out robberies in the hafo, Western, Central, Eastern and Ashanti Regions. Police have so far arrested 10 suspects, while three others were shot dead in a gun battle. A manhunt is ongoing for the rest.

One of their recent attacks happened at 3:30 am on Sunday, September 14, when they stormed the Saint Martins De Porres Cooperative Credit Union armed with pump-action guns and AK-47 rifles. The gang held the security guard and his wife hostage before escaping with cash. Police recovered a loaded AK-47 magazine at the scene.

Ms Donkor confirmed that one of the AK-47 rifles retrieved had originally been issued to the Ghana Police Service. The weapon, marked GH GP/ASH/TEPA/TP/B1523, belonged to Corporal Francis Adu Yaw of the Tepa District, who was killed by armed robbers on the Bibiani-Goaso highway on November 29, 2024.

“This is an indication that this same gang committed that heinous crime,” she added.