Following the recent Goldbod arrests involving six Indian nationals in two separate arrests, Kumasi and Anyinam have been the key hubs where illegal gold trading occurred in both incidents. In the second arrest, the suspects were arrested during an intelligence-led operation jointly carried out by the Ghana Gold Board and National Security operatives. This bust forms part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on unauthorized gold trade in line with the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
The arrested individuals were caught engaging in unauthorized buying activities within the local gold market, which is strictly prohibited under current regulations. Prince Kwame Minkah, Media Relations Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, explained that these foreigners were operating outside the legal framework and violating the exclusive rights granted to the Gold Board.
“They were buying from a miner, which is against the law,” Minkah emphasized, referring to sections 48 and 64 of the Gold Board Act which clearly outline the penalties for illegal trading and smuggling.
The suspects were apprehended in Kumasi and Anyinam, two trading centers that have now come under scrutiny as two separate groups of Indian nationals have been arrested for illegal gold trading in these areas. Although these towns are far from Ghana’s borders, smuggling attempts were initiated from these locations, with the intention of moving the gold out of the country illegally.
Prince Kwame Minkah clarified that the illegal trade begins with the unauthorized buying and selling of gold within Ghana by foreigners who have no legal right to do so.
“They are not supposed to buy or even sell as foreigners. The buying and selling remains the sole prerogative of the Gold Board,” he cautioned.
According to Mr. Minkah, the Gold Board had previously issued warnings to all foreign nationals involved in local gold trading, particularly after an earlier incident involving another group of Indian nationals who were repatriated due to a timing technicality—they were arrested before the official April 30 deadline.
This second Goldbod arrest, however, involves individuals apprehended after the April 30 deadline. Mr. Minkah confirmed that no leniency will be granted this time around.
The involvement of National Security in this joint operation reflects the seriousness with which the Ghanaian authorities are now treating illegal trading and smuggling. The Gold Board maintains that foreigners can only engage in gold offtake after obtaining official approval through a Letter of Intent (LOI) and following the formal processes.
