Police Bust Human Trafficking Ring in Upper Denkyira, 39 Arrested

A major police operation in the Upper Denkyira West District has uncovered a disturbing human trafficking and exploitation syndicate, leading to the arrest of 39 individuals for alleged prostitution and drug-related offences.

The Central North Regional Police Command, acting on intelligence, stormed a hideout in Nipanekro near Subin, where they found 33 young Nigerian women, aged between 16 and 25, trapped in what authorities describe as a modern-day slavery ring. The remaining six suspects arrested in the raid are men believed to be involved in the drug trade.

At a press briefing, Central North Regional Police Commander ACP Abraham Acquaye revealed that the women were victims, not criminals. “We have reclassified them as victims of circumstance,” he said, confirming that the women would be handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service for repatriation to Nigeria.

The victims gave chilling accounts of the abuse they endured under their alleged boss, a woman known only as “Mama Rich.” According to their testimonies, they were forced into prostitution, each required to meet strict daily financial targets. On Mondays, the quota was reportedly GH¢1,000, while on other days it was GH¢500.

Failure to meet these targets came with grotesque punishment. Victims alleged that “Mama Rich forced us to eat her faeces whenever we failed to rake in the daily revenue targets.” Police estimate that each woman was compelled to sleep with up to 20 men a day in order to meet the set quotas.

To tighten control, the women said they were taken to a shrine and made to swear naked, a ritual designed to instill fear and prevent escape. They were threatened with madness if they ever attempted to flee.

The six men arrested are suspected of being complicit in the trafficking syndicate, allegedly providing support through drug-related operations. They remain in police custody as investigations continue.

The raid has brought to light the grim realities of human trafficking in Ghana, showing how traffickers exploit vulnerable individuals through financial, physical, and spiritual coercion.