POLICE, GOLDBOD PLACE GH¢1M BOUNTY ON GOLD SMUGGLING SUSPECTS, BUT QUESTIONS ARISE

September 16, 2025
Louisa Afful
Business
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The Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the Ghana Gold Board, has launched a manhunt for four individuals allegedly involved in gold smuggling.

The wanted men have been identified as Abdul Karim, Sadique Abubakar, Muhammed Afsal Puth Puthalan, and Muhammed Nandoli Rafeeq.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, the four are part of a seven-member group engaged in the illegal trade. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, September 16, Mr. Gyamfi revealed that three of the suspects have already been arrested and are currently in the custody of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

He further disclosed that a bounty of GH¢1 million has been placed on each of the four suspects still on the run.

“We have an arrest warrant for all of them; they are wanted by the Police and the Gold Board. If you have any information about them, you can report to the nearest police station or the Gold Board head office. We have a bounty of GH¢1 million on each of them,” he stated.

A New Record for Bounties in Ghana?

The GH¢1 million reward figure has raised eyebrows across the country. Ghana has offered bounties before, but rarely on such a scale. In the past, rewards for wanted suspects typically ranged between GH¢10,000 and GH¢100,000. This sudden jump to one million cedis per suspect is unprecedented, and invites scrutiny about whether the measure is sustainable, justified, or transparent.

For many Ghanaians, the announcement also sparks a simple question: where is this money coming from? Does the Gold Board truly have that much to spare, and if so, should public funds be used this way when alternatives exist?

Could There Be Smarter Alternatives?

While cash bounties can motivate citizens to provide information, they are not foolproof. Experts suggest several alternatives and complementary methods that can often yield faster and more reliable results:

• Inter-agency intelligence sharing: Coordinating between Police CID, Immigration, Customs, and NIB to track suspects’ movements.

• International cooperation: Using Interpol Red Notices and cross-border extradition treaties to locate suspects abroad.

• Financial and asset tracing: Following suspicious transfers, property records, and bank accounts tied to the suspects.

• Telecom and digital forensics: Tracking phone records, SIM cards, and online footprints.

• Border surveillance: Scrutinising shipping logs, airport CCTV, and vehicle registration systems.

These measures could complement public tip-offs while reducing the risks of false leads, mistaken identities, or vigilante actions that often accompany high-stakes rewards.

The Bigger Picture

Unemployment, desperation, and the lure of quick profits in the gold trade often drive individuals into such illegal ventures. But clamping down on gold smuggling requires more than dramatic headlines and record-breaking bounties, it requires transparent governance, sustainable enforcement strategies, and long-term economic opportunities that reduce incentives for crime.

As Ghana witnesses this unusual development in law enforcement, one thing is clear: transparency about who funds the bounty, how tips will be vetted, and what safeguards are in place will be essential in ensuring that justice is done, not just dramatically, but effectively.