Ghana Police seize GH₵20m counterfeit GTP fabrics in Adabraka

The Ghana Police Service has intercepted a significant consignment of counterfeit textiles valued at approximately GH₵20 million during an intelligence-led operation in Adabraka, Accra. Officers arrested three suspects in connection with the shipment, which consisted of thousands of pieces of wax prints falsely branded as genuine products from the Ghanaian textile manufacturer, GTP. The operation highlights ongoing efforts by security agencies to clamp down on the illicit trade of pirated textiles that undermines the local manufacturing sector. The crackdown took place on November 9, 2026, when police moved in on two trucks that were being offloaded in the Adabraka area. According to investigators, two of the suspects were apprehended at the scene while the third was picked up during subsequent follow-up actions. Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed the goods had been imported from Nigeria. However, their assertions were quickly challenged by both the legitimate manufacturer and tax authorities after a preliminary inspection of the cargo. Expert representatives from GTP were called in to examine the seized wax prints and confirmed that the designs and fabric quality were counterfeit. Furthermore, officials from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) inspected the tax stamps affixed to the bundles and determined that they were also forged. The use of fake tax stamps is a direct attempt to evade the excise duties and levies required by law, representing a dual blow to both private industry and national revenue collection. The intercepted trucks have been impounded and moved to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra, where the counterfeit goods are being held as evidence. The three suspects remain in custody as police deepen their investigations into the supply chain that brought the contraband into the country. This seizure is expected to prompt renewed calls for stricter border controls and more rigorous enforcement of textile industry regulations to protect Ghanaian businesses from unfair competition.