Ghana Immigration Service Arrests 17 Suspected Cyber Fraudsters, Rescues 85 Victims in Dawhenya Raid

• The Ghana Immigration Service conducted an intelligence-led raid on a facility in Dawhenya, Greater Accra, on Sunday, July 26, 2026
• Officers rescued 85 West African nationals believed to be victims of forced labour, with evidence of severe physical abuse found at the site
• 17 foreign nationals suspected of running a cyber fraud syndicate were arrested and are being held at GIS headquarters for interrogation

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has arrested 17 foreign nationals believed to be part of a cyber fraud syndicate and freed 85 suspected victims of forced labour following a dawn raid on a facility in Dawhenya, Greater Accra, on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Reports by Citinewsroom on July 31, 2026 indicated that the officers from the GIS National Enforcement Team acted on a tip-off from residents, as they descended on a premises opposite the China West Mall in the early hours of Sunday morning.

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The facility is reportedly owned by Oga Toyas, Chief Executive Officer of TOYAS Group Limited.

A total of 102 West African nationals were intercepted during the operation.

Preliminary investigations established that 79 males and six females were victims of forced labour, while the remaining 17 individuals are suspected syndicate members who were also residing in Ghana without authorisation.

Evidence of abuse found at Dawhenya facility

Immigration officers reported finding clear signs of severe physical abuse, particularly among the male victims, who were allegedly held under harsh conditions.

The six female victims and the 17 suspects have been transferred to GIS headquarters in Accra for profiling, interrogation and further investigations.

The 79 male victims have been moved to a secure holding facility, where authorities are coordinating with relevant state agencies to arrange their safe return home.

Investigators noted that the alleged masterminds behind the operation were not present at the time of the raid.

"It is reported that the team met the absence of the main kingpins at the time of the operations. Investigations are ongoing to pick up the brains behind these nefarious activities," the GIS stated.

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The operation was conducted under the Human [Expletive] Act, 2005 (Act 694), which prescribes a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years upon conviction for related offences.

Ashaiman Sector Command detains 93 Nigerian women

In a separate but related compliance exercise, the Ashaiman Sector Command detained 93 Nigerian women aged between 15 and 44 in the Tsina-Agbe area.

The operation followed concerns raised by the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Security Council over the alleged involvement of foreign nationals in intimacy trade.

The women are currently being held pending arrangements for their repatriation to Nigeria.

"The Ghana Immigration Service remains steadfast in its statutory mandate to safeguard Ghana's borders, combat irregular migration, dismantle transnational criminal networks, and protect victims of human [Expletive] from exploitation," GIS reaffirmed its commitment to border security, stated.

Court orders arrest of NPP Communicator KOKA

Earlier, YEN.com.gh repored that an Accra Circuit Court has ordered the arrest of Kweku Osei Korankye Asiedu, popularly known as KOKA, a marketer and communicator for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), after he failed to appear before it to answer criminal charges.

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KOKA was expected in court to face charges of threat of death and publication of false news. When the case was called, he was nowhere to be found.

Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, prosecuting on behalf of the state, informed the court that the accused had been properly notified of the hearing date but chose not to attend, calling his behaviour disrespectful to the court.

Source: YEN.com.gh