Security agencies in the Bono East Region have intercepted a vehicle smuggling suspected hazardous chemicals and unregistered cigarettes, leading to the court remanding two individuals in connection with the illicit shipment.
In a joint intelligence-led operation, officers from the Narcotics Control Commission, the Police Intelligence Department, and the Bureau of National Investigation intercepted a vehicle (registration number UE-819-26) around the Tuobodom barrier in the Techiman District.
The vehicle, which was traveling from Nalerigu in the North East Region on the 1st of September 2026, toward the Bono East Region, carried cargo full of illicit consignment, concealed beneath sacks of sorghum, and groundnut husks.
Upon inspection, security officers uncovered over hundred barrels of sodium cyabide, highly hazardous chemical frequently diverted for illegal mining (galamsey), Approximately 315 boxes of illicit tobacco products and suspicious cargo.
Following the seizure, law enforcement detained the vehicle’s driver, who identified a second individual as the intended receiver of the goods. Under interrogation, the second suspect admitted to accepting the delivery but claimed to be acting as an intermediary for an unnamed third party.
Although both suspects were initially granted a three-day administrative bail to assist in identifying the primary owner, they failed to cooperate with investigators. Police subsequently re-arrested the pair at a local hotel in Techiman and charged them before the Techiman Circuit Court.
During the court hearing, the presiding judge denied a defense application for bail, siding with the prosecution’s request for continued detention to prevent interference with ongoing investigations.
While the court initially set the return date for September 24, a joint petition by both the defense counsel and the prosecution prompted the judge to reschedule the hearing to September 17.
Both suspects remain in police custody as security forces continue to trace the wider syndicate behind the shipment.
By Belinda Tetteh
