The Accra Circuit Court Nine has refused bail applications for ten Chinese nationals accused of engaging in illegal gold smuggling and other serious financial and criminal offences.
The accused—Wu Cheng Wei, Tang Da Tien, Wang Chun Ling, Wei Dong, Li Fu Shou, Wei Sheng Xin, He Shi Long, Li Ren Neng, Fang Zhun Sheng, and Zheng Xi Chuang—are being held by the National Investigation Bureau, except for Wu and Zheng, who remain in police custody due to health concerns.
The suspects face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit crime, illegal trading and hoarding of gold, tax evasion, money laundering, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Their pleas were not taken after the prosecution requested additional time for consultations.
According to court documents, one suspected accomplice remains at large. All ten accused persons are expected to reappear before the court on July 21, 2025.
The prosecution, led by officers of the National Security Gold Board Task Force, told the court that the accused operated from Asankraguaa in the Western Region. Reports of illegal activities led to their arrest on June 30, 2025, after an intelligence tip-off revealed that they had breached Ghana’s gold trading regulations.
A raid on their premises yielded damning evidence, including 1,286.05 grams of gold in various forms—bars, nuggets, and dust. Also recovered were detailed ledgers, gold purchase records, and receipts believed to document the group’s trading activities.
In addition, the Task Force seized:
- 12 pump-action shotguns
- 36 BB cartridges
- Two gold weighing scales
- Mercury (used in gold processing)
- Two metal safes containing casino cash chips
The accused reportedly admitted to being involved in gold and casino trading but failed to produce valid business registration documents or provide information on where their gold was stored. Preliminary investigations further revealed they were operating outside Ghana’s legal tax frameworks.
The prosecution stated that further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of their operations and track down the remaining fugitive.
The court’s decision to deny bail underscores the seriousness of the charges and the growing scrutiny on illegal gold trade, particularly involving foreign nationals operating within Ghana’s mineral-rich regions.
Investigative Journalist & News Editor:
Contact: Editor@wesleyannews.com
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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