The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has recovered more than 100 tonnes of stolen Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) service cables from a company in Tema, following the arrest of 10 suspects.

Officers found 70 workers actively cutting and stripping the cables during the operation.

The Director-General of the CID, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, disclosed the details at a press briefing on Monday, March 9, describing the bust as a significant step in tackling the theft of national infrastructure.

The raid was carried out on March 4, 2026 at approximately 3:30 pm by the CID Headquarters Operations Unit, in collaboration with officials from the Ministry of Energy.

Acting on intelligence, officers targeted the premises of Central Company in the Kpone Industrial Area near Tema.

Upon arrival, police found about 70 employees engaged in cutting ECG service cables and stripping the metal components from the insulation.

The bare wires were being compressed into metal blocks, which authorities believe were intended for export.

“The volume and condition of the recovered cables indicate a sustained and systematic operation targeting ECG infrastructure,” COP Donkor said.

The 10 suspects arrested include two Ghanaian nationals, Samuel Ekpe and Priscilla Pagui, and eight Chinese nationals, believed to hold managerial positions within the company: Yu Xiaoting, He Jing, Xu Changju, Li Lei, Chen Jing, Zheng Ma, Wang Jian, Bin Bin, and Zheng Yiqin.

A 24-hour guard has been placed on the premises to prevent the removal of any materials while investigations continue.

COP Donkor emphasised the wider impact of cable theft on electricity supply:

“Theft and illegal export of ECG cables have directly affected electricity supply across communities, businesses, and public institutions.”

On the same day as the briefing, ECG announced separate maintenance exercises in the Accra West and Accra East regions, with engineers conducting infrastructure upgrades expected to last the working day.

“The Ghana Police Service will continue working with relevant state agencies to protect national assets and bring perpetrators to justice,” COP Donkor said.

Members of the public with information on the theft of public infrastructure are urged to contact the nearest police station or call the police emergency line on 191.