Ghana records 80 firearm tracing hits, 66 linked to active US investigations

The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department CID of the Ghana Police Service, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, announced that Ghana recorded 80 firearm tracing hits through INTERPOL systems between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026. Out of 5,251 firearm tracing searches conducted during this period, 80 resulted in positive matches, with 66 linked to the United States and active investigations. COP Donkor shared this information in a statement on April 13, 2026, following her presentation at the 21st INTERPOL Heads of National Central Bureaus Conference in Lyon, France. She emphasized that these figures demonstrate the effectiveness of firearm tracing in generating actionable intelligence beyond national borders, helping to uncover criminal networks and support ongoing investigations. She highlighted Ghana's experience using INTERPOL’s iARMS database to combat firearm-related crimes in West Africa, noting that firearm crime is often linked to organized crime, trafficking networks, and cross-border threats. Ghana's use of the iARMS database serves as an operational tool for real-time investigations and intelligence gathering, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in combating crime and tracking illegal firearms.