ACCRA, Oct. 7 (The African Portal) – Ghana’s Gold Board Taskforce has arrested an American, a Moroccan, and four Ghanaian nationals for allegedly engaging in unlicensed gold trading in Accra, the agency said on Monday.
The suspects — identified as Smart Philander, an American; Nina Elfseky, a Moroccan; and four Ghanaians, Nana Yaw Sarpong Boateng, Sowa Elisha, Evans Arhin, and Arnold Otutey — were detained at the SSNIT Emporium near Marina Mall after weeks of surveillance, the Taskforce said in a statement.
They were allegedly attempting to buy and assay about 2.1 kilograms of gold worth around 2.2 million Ghanaian cedis ($145,000) without a licence, in violation of the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
Taskforce officers also recovered gold refining equipment from the American suspect, indicating plans to refine gold illegally within Ghana, the agency said.
The suspects have been charged in an Accra court with conspiracy and engaging in gold trading and assaying without a licence, as well as attempting to refine gold illegally, under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
The Gold Board said the arrests reflect its determination to enforce mining and trading laws and warned that gold trading, assaying, or refining without a licence remains illegal and punishable by law.
Investigations are ongoing, the statement added.
