Seven palm oil traders are currently in the custody of the Koforidua Divisional Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service for allegedly adulterating their products with a substance believed to be Sudan dye.
The arrests form part of a joint operation conducted with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), following earlier assurances to clamp down on the practice after laboratory tests last year confirmed contamination in some palm oil samples collected from markets in Koforidua.
Initial investigations led to the arrest of five suspects, who denied knowledge of the substance, insisting they were only retailers sourcing their products from suppliers, particularly from Akyem Maase.
However, subsequent intelligence gathering by the FDA and police triggered a manhunt for the alleged supplier. She was later apprehended upon arriving in Koforidua to distribute palm oil at the market, bringing the total number of suspects to seven.
Authorities say all seven suspects, who are women, had been placed on a watchlist, with two of them previously linked to products that tested positive for Sudan dye during earlier monitoring exercises.
The police have since impounded the suspected products, while the FDA has taken samples for further laboratory analysis as investigations continue.
Speaking to the media on Friday, April 17, District Crime Officer for the Koforidua Central Police Command, Augustine K. Asante Kusi, described the alleged act as a serious criminal offence and cautioned traders against the use of unauthorised chemicals in food products.
Meanwhile, Eastern Regional Director of the FDA, Anita Kuffour, assured the public of the Authority’s commitment to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion, including efforts to unravel the entire supply chain behind the adulterated products.
She further indicated that the FDA will intensify its monitoring and enforcement activities to clamp down on traders who compromise public health for profit.
