13 foreigners arrested as military seizes 20,000 explosives from an unlawful manufacturing facility in the Western Region

13 foreign people have been detained as a result of the Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) discovery of an illicit explosives production hub in Tarkwa, Western Region.

The conspiracy, which consisted of eight Chinese, three Togolese, an Ivorian, and a Nigerian, was discovered to be manufacturing over 20,000 illegal explosive pieces, including about 10,000kg of ammonium nitrate that was hidden in sacks of flour and rice.

The majority of the ammonium nitrate was hid in flour and rice bags, according to a statement from GAF.

Mohammed Brothers Company Limited and Dekete Mines in Tarkwa’s properties were where the explosives were found. The GAF carried out the operation with the intention of putting a stop to the unlawful production and usage of dynamite in mining regions.

The GAF statement stated that “the operation…was premised on detailed intelligence intended to clamp down on the manufacture, sale, and use of illegal dynamite in some areas of the country, especially mining areas.”

After screening, the suspects were sent to Accra’s National Security for additional inquiry.

Community members expressed their worry about the threat the syndicate posed, particularly in light of the recent terrorist threats in the country’s northern border regions.

One member of the community who talked to Daily Graphic claimed that “the operations of the syndicate posed a threat to lives and properties.”

Since then, locals have praised GAF for its action because an explosion could have resulted in severe devastation.
According to a military source, mixing ammonium nitrate with diesel can be hazardous, and breathing its dust can cause respiratory ailments. The source went on to say that the proximity of the explosives production to a population center and a school posed a serious danger.

“It’s crucial to inform the public that ammonium nitrate combined with fuel frequently becomes hazardous during explosions. Additionally, breathing in dust with high quantities of ammonium nitrate could cause respiratory illnesses, according to the military source.