NACOC Hands Over $1.7M Seized Gold to GoldBod
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) handed over 17 gold bars valued at $1.7 million to the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod). The handover took place at the Ministry of the Interior in Accra and followed the interception of the bars at Ghana’s Paga Border Post from two Burkinabè nationals attempting to smuggle them out of the country.
Both suspects have been charged with offences related to unauthorised transportation and dealing in gold. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed‑Mubarak reassured support for GoldBod’s role in regulating Ghana’s gold resources, while GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi reiterated the need for continued collaboration between security agencies to uphold integrity in the sector.
Strategic Effort in Ghana’s National Anti-Smuggling Initiative
The handover marks a milestone in Ghana’s broader campaign to combat illicit gold trade. Earlier in July 2025, President John Dramani Mahama launched a national task force—backed by security forces and integrated with GoldBod—to tackle illegal gold smuggling. Informants are rewarded with 10% of the value of gold seized as part of the initiative’s incentive structure.
Under the new policy framework, Ghana also plans to implement a nationwide gold traceability system, transition to refined gold exports by 2026, and establish a certified assay laboratory and gold manufacturing hub to capture more domestic value. GoldBod has already overseen record official exports—55.7 metric tonnes worth $5 billion—in the first five months of 2025.
