The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has apprehended one, Osman Abdul Majeed, for the unlawful possession of a foreign pistol and ammunition in the Ashanti Region.

The suspect was arrested on July 29, at the Tweapease Police Barrier near Obuasi during a routine vehicle search operation.

He was on board a Toyota minibus travelling from Kumasi to Tarkwa when officers discovered an unregistered Bruni Model 92 pistol concealed in his backpack. The weapon was loaded with three live 9mm rounds of ammunition, according to the Police.

During interrogation, the suspect stated that the firearm was handed to him in Tamale by one Awal, who instructed him to deliver it to an individual in Tarkwa. Osman Abdul Majeed was unable to produce any documentation authorising possession or transport of the weapon.

The suspect is currently in custody and will be put before the court to face justice, the Police noted. Meanwhile, investigations have commenced to trace the origin of the weapon and identify and arrest all other persons connected to the case.

Recently, an intelligence-led operation was conducted by a joint police and military team after intelligence that some individuals believed to be involved in recent violent rioting activities in Nkwanta and its immediate environs were in possession of firearms and ammunition.

A thorough search of the premises on August 1, led to the retrieval of two (2) single-barrel guns and four (4) AAA ammunition from the room of suspect Francis Donkor, 50, who was promptly arrested, escorted to the Police Station, and is currently in custody assisting with ongoing investigations.

The area was cordoned off to ensure the safety of all parties and to prevent any escape.

The retrieved exhibits (two single-barrel guns and four AAA ammunition) have been retained as evidence to support the investigation and possible prosecution.

The Ghana Police Service has noted that it remains committed to maintaining peace and public safety and strongly cautions the public against unlawful possession and use of firearms.

Established by an Act of Parliament in 2007, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA’s) mandate includes regulating the possession and control of small arms and light weapons, with a particular focus on curbing illegal production, trade, transfer, and cross-border movement of such weapons that contribute to crime and insecurity.

A 2019 KAIPTC report revealed that 2.3 million small arms are in civilian hands, with over 1.1 million unaccounted for.

Last year, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) announced plans to conduct a nationwide firearms survey before the end of the year. However, reports suggest the survey did not take place as stated.

Speaking to The Independent Ghana, the Deputy Director in charge of Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Gyebi Asante, indicated that this will be the third research of its kind since NACSA's inception. He noted that the survey aims to gather vital data on firearm ownership, usage, and proliferation across the country.

Mr. Asante stressed that the unchecked spread of small arms and light weapons is a serious threat to public safety, as it fuels criminal activities and armed conflicts and undermines efforts to maintain peace and security.

On July 9, the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of the Ashanti Regional Police Command arrested two individuals for unlawful possession of firearms. This followed an intelligence-led operation carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, July 9.

The targeted operation, conducted at known hideouts in Nweneso, Trabuom, and Nkwawie, resulted in the arrest of Acheampong Kwadwo (21) and James Antwi Adjei (24).

A search conducted during the operation led to the recovery of two pump-action shotguns: one with serial number ASAO 2164 2021 and one without a serial number.

Both firearms are suspected to be stolen and were possibly intended for use in robbery operations across the Atwima Districts and the Greater Kumasi area.

The suspects are currently in police custody and assisting with ongoing investigations.

The recovered firearms have been retained as exhibits for evidential purposes.

The police noted that further updates will be communicated in due course as investigations progress.

In February this year, U.S. Army Major Kojo Owusu Dartey was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release for smuggling firearms to Ghana and making false statements to federal authorities.

The 42-year-old, based at Fort Liberty, was found guilty by a jury on April 23, 2024, on charges including conspiracy, illegal firearm dealing, false declarations in court, and exporting firearms without a license.

According to court records and trial evidence, Dartey orchestrated a firearms smuggling operation by purchasing seven firearms in North Carolina and instructing a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to buy three more and send them to him.

He then concealed the weapons inside blue barrels filled with rice and household goods before working with an Army Chief Warrant Officer to smuggle them through the Port of Baltimore, Maryland.

The barrels were shipped to the Port of Tema, Ghana, where Ghanaian authorities later seized them and alerted the DEA attaché in Ghana and the ATF Baltimore Field Division.

Dartey was also linked to a 16-defendant marriage fraud scheme involving soldiers at Fort Liberty and foreign nationals from Ghana. He provided information that led to its prosecution but later lied to federal law enforcement and under oath in court about his relationship with a defense witness during the U.S. v. Agyapong trial between June 28 and July 2, 2021.

His sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Daniel Bubar, following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz prosecuted the case.

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has bemoaned the influx of unregistered arms and ammunition in the country.During a working visit to the Northern Region on Wednesday, May 21, the minister noted that the current trend threatens national security.“Let us see you abiding by the laws of our country. It’s the only way you will be able to help. The number of arms in the hands of our citizens is getting to an alarming level. It’s giving the Peace Council, police, and other security agencies a lot of headaches. At the least provocation, you hear a gunshot. How did the people get the guns?” he asked.The minister, who also serves as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase, called for a united effort to free the country from illegal arms.“We have to get private people to partner with the government. The government alone cannot do it. Now technology is so easy that we should be able to use technology to detect who imports and sells the guns. What can we use technology to make our country safe?"

A 16-year-old form two student of Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) has been arrested by the Tafo Pankrono Divisional Police Command for illegally possessing a locally manufactured firearm.

The police arrested the suspect following a routine dormitory search by school authorities on Wednesday, May 14.

According to the accused, the weapon belonged to his stepfather, Mr. Daniel Owusu Baafi, who has been apprehended.