Police recover 100 tonnes of stolen ECG cables in Tema raid
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, announced the development at a press briefing on Monday
Police say they have recovered more than 100 tonnes of stolen Electricity Company of Ghana service cables during an operation at a company in Tema, where 10 suspects were arrested.
Investigators said officers arrived to find dozens of workers processing the cables on the premises.
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, announced the development at a press briefing on Monday, describing it as a major breakthrough in efforts to curb the theft of state infrastructure.
The operation took place on 4 March 2026 at about 15:30 local time. It was carried out by the CID Headquarters Operations Unit with support from officials of the Ministry of Energy.
Police said the raid followed intelligence pointing to the premises of Central Company in the Kpone Industrial Area near Tema.
When officers entered the site, they found about 70 workers cutting ECG service cables and removing the insulation to extract the metal inside. The exposed wires were then being compressed into metal blocks, which investigators suspect were intended for export.
Commissioner Donkor said the quantity and condition of the materials recovered suggested an organised and ongoing operation focused on ECG infrastructure.
Those arrested include two Ghanaians, Samuel Ekpe and Priscilla Pagui, as well as eight Chinese nationals who police believe were in managerial roles at the company. They were named as Yu Xiaoting, He Jing, Xu Changju, Li Lei, Chen Jing, Zheng Ma, Wang Jian, Bin Bin and Zheng Yiqin.
Police said security has been tightened at the location, with officers posted there around the clock while investigations continue.
The CID said cable theft has had a direct effect on electricity supply, disrupting service to homes, businesses and public institutions.
Commissioner Donkor said the police would continue working with other state bodies to protect national infrastructure and prosecute those responsible.
The public has been urged to report information on the theft of public assets to the nearest police station or through the emergency number 191.
