ACCRA – The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has launched a major intelligence-led operation targeting organised street begging networks operating in Accra and Kumasi, leading to the apprehension of 1,055 persons.
The operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, August 29, 2026, across key hotspots in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions.
According to the GIS, the exercise was aimed at rescuing victims and dismantling criminal syndicates allegedly using organised begging as a cover to traffic and control vulnerable foreign nationals, particularly women and children.
Of the 1,055 persons apprehended, 662 were children, 248 were women and 145 were men. They are mainly West African nationals, with a number of Ghanaians also arrested on suspicion of acting as local agents for the exploitative networks.
In Accra, officers targeted areas including Abossey Okai, Sabon Zongo, Madina Zongo Junction, Madina, Ashaiman and Tema. In Kumasi, the operation covered Asawase, Alabar, Akwatia Line, Dagomba Line, Sabon Zongo, Airport Junction and Aboabo.
The Service said the significant number of children involved highlights serious concerns about child vulnerability and a growing pattern of child trafficking for forced begging on Ghanaian streets.
In a statement issued by Deputy Commissioner Maud Anima Quainoo, the GIS said a Nigerien woman who was picked up during the swoop complained of feeling unwell. Upon examination by the medical team attached to the operation, she was found to be in labour and was rushed to a nearby medical facility where she delivered a baby girl. She remains under medical observation.
All rescued individuals have been transferred to a designated holding centre for profiling and immigration processing in line with established protocols. Those found to be without valid documentation are being processed for repatriation.
The GIS stressed that the coordinated operation was not just about removing individual beggars from the streets but disrupting organised networks operating across multiple locations, while also identifying and protecting victims of trafficking and exploitation.
_Story by Dr. Dr. Ageorgia_
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