Money Factories’ Uncovered, 16 Busted

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has busted four major fake currency printing centres and arrested 16 people suspected of being part of organised networks producing and distributing counterfeit Ghanaian and foreign currencies.

The crackdown, which took place between June 12 and July 24, 2026, uncovered printing machines, vehicles, motorcycles and huge quantities of fake currencies and materials allegedly meant to produce millions more counterfeit notes.

The operation also revealed that some of the suspected criminals allegedly used religious and spiritual centres as a cover to hide their activities and avoid attracting attention.

According to the NSCS, the operations were carried out with other security and intelligence agencies after months of intelligence gathering into reports of counterfeit currencies entering commercial centres, foreign exchange markets and financial networks.

In all, six coordinated raids were conducted across parts of the Greater Accra Region and surrounding districts.

The raids resulted in the seizure of four counterfeit currency printing machines, six vehicles and two motorcycles allegedly used to transport and distribute the fake money.

Security agencies also recovered US$543,000, GH¢196,600 and CFA 60,000 in finished counterfeit notes.

Another huge amount of materials was seized before they could be turned into fake money.

These included US$5,293,500, GH¢19,553,700 and CFA 623,550,000 in unprocessed currency coupons.

The 16 suspects arrested have been transferred to the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), together with the physical and digital evidence seized during the operations.

The NSCS said case dockets had been completed and submitted to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, with prosecution proceedings ongoing at the Accra High Court, General Jurisdiction.

 

Religious Centres Used As Cover

One of the most disturbing findings from the investigation was the alleged use of religious and spiritual premises to hide the illegal printing operations.

The NSCS said some of the syndicates deliberately used churches and administrative offices of religious organisations as cover.

According to the Secretariat, the premises allegedly helped to reduce suspicion about the noise and vibration produced by printing machines.

They were also allegedly used to store printing materials and finished counterfeit currencies.

The first raid took place on June 12 at Amuzu, a suburb of Kasoa.

Security operatives targeted a residential compound allegedly being operated under the cover of a traditional spiritual centre.

One suspect, Nana Nyarko Derrick Dapaah, was arrested.

A printing machine, fake gold bars, five mobile phones and quantities of counterfeit notes and coupons were seized.

The NSCS said the suspect allegedly used spiritual and religious cover to hide the noise from the printing machines and shield the distribution activities from suspicion in the community.

 

Foreign Nationals Arrested

In another operation, security agencies targeted what the NSCS described as a transnational criminal cell allegedly involved in moving high-quality foreign counterfeit currencies between commercial centres.

The suspects allegedly used unregistered vehicles to transport the fake money.

Seven people, including three Ghanaians and four foreign nationals, were arrested.

Three unregistered vehicles and US$65,900 in counterfeit notes were also seized.

On June 29, security operatives raided an office facility at Lashibi and Klagon, where five people were arrested and printing equipment was recovered.

Further intelligence led investigators to the headquarters of a religious facility in Klagon.

The NSCS said administrative offices and residential quarters at the facility were allegedly being used as a production and storage centre for the counterfeit currency.

One printing machine and two operational vehicles were seized.

Investigators also recovered US$5,287,900, CFA 623,530,000 and GH¢7,129,000 in counterfeit coupons.

Rev. Emmanuel Boakye-Danquah was identified by the NSCS as being at large in connection with the operation.

 

Dispatch Rider Caught with Fake GH¢200 Notes

The alleged syndicate also reportedly relied on commercial dispatch riders to move counterfeit money to buyers.

On July 9, security operatives near the Lakeside Shell Filling Station intercepted a dispatch rider who was allegedly transporting pre-packaged counterfeit currency.

The rider, Issah Ibrahim, was arrested, while Adamu Haruna was listed as being at large.

Five boxes containing counterfeit GH¢200 notes with an estimated face value of GH¢12,421,600 were seized.

Two registered motorcycles were also taken from the operation.

In another raid, 54-year-old Solomon Acheampong was arrested at what the NSCS described as a regional distribution point.

Amankwah Bismark was identified as a suspected kingpin who remains at large.

A white Toyota Corolla, three mobile phones, GH¢500 in genuine currency and assorted counterfeit coupons were seized.

The crackdown continued on July 24 when security operatives raided a hotel facility at Achimota Mile 7.

There, they arrested 50-year-old Osman Iddrisu, whom the NSCS described as a key technical operator.

He was allegedly found with mobile printing equipment.

A search of his residence at Amasaman later uncovered what investigators described as a fully equipped secondary printing facility.

Two printing machines, together with quantities of counterfeit notes and coupons, were seized.

The NSCS said investigations showed that the alleged criminal networks were not operating as small groups but had different people performing different roles.

These included alleged transnational facilitators, technical operators responsible for printing and commercial couriers who allegedly used motorcycles to distribute the fake money.