By Samuel Ofori Boateng
Bekwai (Ash), March 13, GNA – The Ashanti South Regional Police Command, has successfully dismantled a dangerous armed robbery gang believed to have been operating along the Obuasi–Dunkwa highway corridor, following a series of intelligence-led operations conducted on March 10 and 11, 2026.
The operation, which formed part of ongoing nationwide efforts to combat violent crime and the illegal possession of firearms, led to the arrest of six suspects, the recovery of high-powered weapons and ammunition, and the exposure of a suspected illegal arms supply network operating within parts of the Ashanti Region.
Superintendent Stephen Antwi, the Regional Crimes Officer, briefing journalists, said the breakthrough was achieved after the Command received credible intelligence indicating that a group of armed men had assembled in a bush along the Obuasi–Dunkwa highway and were preparing to stage a robbery attack on motorists using the busy road.
He said at approximately 11:00 a.m. on March 10, 2026, a team of officers was immediately deployed to the identified location to intercept the suspects.
Upon reaching a section of the bush near Obuasi along the highway, the police team reportedly spotted about four young men armed with firearms.
The police said the suspects opened fire upon seeing the officers and attempted to flee into the nearby bush, but the police returned fire, resulting in an exchange of gunshots between the officers and the suspects.
During the confrontation, two of the suspects sustained fatal gunshot wounds, while the remaining two suspects, believed to have also suffered gunshot injuries, managed to escape into the bush.
A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of several weapons and ammunition believed to have been intended for the planned robbery operation.
Among the items retrieved were an AK-47 assault rifle bearing serial the number 68104599, which was loaded with twenty-eight rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, and a pump-action gun loaded with five live BB cartridges.
The police also recovered eight additional rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, and one spent BB cartridge from the scene, bringing the total ammunition recovered to thirty-six rounds.
Further intelligence-driven investigations conducted by the Command after the initial operation led to the arrest of additional suspects believed to be connected to the robbery gang.
The police said arrests had provided crucial leads that were helping investigators unravel a wider illegal arms distribution network suspected to be operating from the Asawase area in Kumasi.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command indicated that efforts were currently underway to track down the two suspects, who escaped during the exchange of fire, as well as any other accomplices linked to the criminal network.
The Command reaffirmed the commitment of the Ghana Police Service to intensifying intelligence-led operations across the region to clamp down on armed robbery, illegal firearms possession, and other forms of violent crime.
Members of the public have also been urged to support the police by providing timely and credible information that could assist law enforcement agencies in identifying and apprehending criminal elements within their communities.
The police further assured residents and road users along the Obuasi–Dunkwa highway that security patrols in the area would be strengthened to ensure the continued safety of commuters and prevent criminal activities along the corridor.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/ Christabel Addo