The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) announced on Tuesday, September 22, that counterfeit currency syndicates had deliberately used churches and administrative offices of religious organisations to conceal their printing operations. The strategy was designed to reduce suspicion around the noise and vibration of printing machines and to store finished counterfeit notes.
Intelligence‑led raids conducted between June 12 and July 24, 2026, uncovered this pattern. Six coordinated raids across the Greater Accra Region and surrounding districts resulted in the arrest of 16 principal suspects, comprising Ghanaian and foreign nationals, and the dismantling of four printing hubs. The operations seized four counterfeit currency printing machines, six vehicles, and two motorcycles allegedly used to transport and distribute the counterfeit currency.
Authorities recovered US$543,000, GH¢196,600 and CFA 60,000 in finished counterfeit notes, and an additional US$5,293,500, GH¢19,553,700 and CFA 623,550,000 in coupons yet to be processed and printed. A significant operation on June 29 at Lashibi and Klagon led to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of printing equipment and large quantities of counterfeit currency coupons. Rev. Emmanuel Boakye‑Danquah was identified by the NSCS as being at large in connection with the operation.
The NSCS highlighted a structured system involving transnational facilitators, technical operators, and commercial courier riders using motorcycles to deliver counterfeit notes and coupons. Seizing millions of finished notes and unprocessed coupons, together with four printing machines capable of producing millions of notes, prevented potential economic disruption, including artificial inflation, exchange‑rate distortions and financial instability.
All 16 arrested suspects have been formally remanded into state custody. Case dockets have been submitted to the Office of the Attorney‑General and Ministry of Justice, with prosecution proceedings ongoing at the Accra High Court, General Jurisdiction. State prosecutors have initiated court‑ordered forfeiture of vehicles, printing equipment and mobile devices used in the operations. Special intelligence teams continue efforts to locate and arrest suspects who remain at large.
The NSCS urges members of the public, financial institutions, property owners and administrators of religious facilities to conduct due diligence on activities taking place on their premises. The public is also asked to report suspicious high‑volume printing activities, particularly late at night, as well as unusual foreign currency transactions, to the nearest security agency.
