Joseph Addae Akwaboa, the Bono Regional Minister, has warned cocoa smuggling syndicates to desist from the practice or prepare to face the full rigours of the law.

He said that: “We are coming after you all, whether smugglers or Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), or purchasing clerks who engage in cocoa smuggling,” and assured that decisive measures were being undertaken to clamp down on the smugglers.

Mr Akwaboa gave the warning when he addressed a news conference in Sunyani in connection with the arrest of some cocoa smugglers at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District of the Bono Region.

He explained that COCOBOD anti-cocoa smuggling unit in collaboration with security agencies had impounded 100 bags of cocoa beans and arrested four suspects in an operation, saying that preliminary information indicated that some LBCs were also cheating the cocoa farmers too.

“It has been established that some individuals and networks are taking advantage of price differences between Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire to smuggle cocoa to Ghana,” he stated.

Mr Akwaboa said that: “While the official price structure translates to over GH¢2,500 per bag in Ghana approximately over GH¢40 per kilogramme, some companies are purchasing cocoa from farmers at about GH¢30 per kilogramme”.

He noted that some LBCs imposed unjustified deductions of about GH¢5 per kilogramme, resulting in farmers receiving as low as GH¢1,600 instead of the approved amount of more than GH¢2,500 per bag.

Mr Akwaboa said investigations were presently ongoing to apprehend and arraign the culprits in court to face justice.