Counterfeit currency operations in West Africa

Authorities in West Africa have conducted significant operations against counterfeit currency networks in Senegal and Ghana.

In Senegal, the Rufisque Maritime Customs Brigade seized counterfeit ‘black notes’ valued at approximately 194,642,000 CFA francs ($345,800 USD). Following intelligence regarding a network intended to ‘wash’ and introduce these notes into the exchange circuit, agents conducted surveillance in the Dakar suburbs. The operation resulted in the arrest of four suspects, including an alleged mastermind, and the recovery of 3,458 hundred-dollar bills.

In Ghana, the National Security Council Secretariat dismantled four major counterfeit currency printing hubs through six coordinated raids. These operations, conducted between June and July 2026, targeted networks that used religious and spiritual centers to mask their activities. Security agencies arrested 16 suspects and recovered finished counterfeit notes alongside a massive stock of unprocessed currency coupons valued at millions of dollars, cedis, and CFA francs. Seized equipment included printing machines, vehicles, and fake gold bars. The suspects have been handed over to the Bureau of National Investigations for forensic examination as prosecution proceedings continue in the Accra High Court.