A Ghanaian court has remanded a commercial driver accused of smuggling 33,000 rounds of ammunition into the country from Benin, while separate proceedings continue against 41 individuals arrested in a major illegal mining operation.
The Denu Circuit Court ordered Salihu Jalilu, 38, held in custody after police discovered the ammunition concealed in a passenger bus during a routine checkpoint inspection on April 18. Prosecutors requested additional time to complete their investigation, with the case adjourned until May 7.
In a parallel development, an Accra High Court is handling the case against suspected illegal miners arrested during a police operation in the Western Region. The group of 41 defendants includes eight Chinese nationals and four Ghanaian women, facing charges related to unauthorized mining, firearms possession, and environmental violations.
Authorities uncovered the ammunition cache during a search at the Tadzewu-Mitsrikasa Police Barrier in the Volta Region. The rounds were hidden beneath luggage in a Hyundai bus with registration number GR 8246. Jalilu’s co-driver was released after investigators determined he had no knowledge of the concealed shipment.
The mining suspects were apprehended along the Tano and Subri rivers near Samreboi, where police seized excavators, firearms, and mining equipment. Among items recovered was GH¢157,000 in cash found with one suspect.
These cases highlight Ghana’s ongoing challenges with cross-border crime and illegal resource extraction. The ammunition seizure represents one of the largest recent interceptions at Ghana’s borders, occurring amid heightened regional security concerns. Meanwhile, the scale of the mining operation underscores persistent difficulties in regulating the sector, despite government efforts to curb environmental damage from unauthorized activities.
Court proceedings for the mining defendants continue, with bail hearings scheduled through early May. The cases demonstrate Ghana’s judicial system handling multiple fronts of organized crime, from border security threats to environmental protection enforcement.
