The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has rescued 305 West African nationals from organised street begging networks in a second phase intelligence-led anti-trafficking operation carried out in the Greater Accra Region on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
The early morning exercise targeted criminal networks that exploit vulnerable migrants, particularly women and children, under the guise of street begging. Officers swept through Abossey Okai, Zongo Junction, Nima, Madina, and Kaneshie.
Of the 305 nationals encountered, 113 were children, 66 were adult women, and 126 were adult men. Among the minors, 77 were female and 36 were male. The GIS described the high proportion of children as a growing concern about the vulnerability of minors within these exploitative arrangements.
All persons rescued are currently undergoing profiling and necessary immigration procedures at a dedicated centre in line with established protocols. The Service is working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure victims, especially children, receive appropriate care, protection, and support.
The operation carries implications beyond law enforcement. Authorities and analysts note that organised street begging controlled by criminal networks functions as a shadow economy, diverting vulnerable labour from productive activity, evading taxes, and straining public resources allocated to social services. For a country actively repositioning itself as a regional investment hub, unchecked trafficking networks pose reputational risks and can discourage business activity in urban commercial zones.
The exercise builds on lessons from an earlier phase, with improved coordination and targeted intelligence to identify locations where vulnerable foreign nationals were being compelled to beg on streets.
The GIS called on members of the public to report suspicious activities related to human trafficking and organised street begging to the nearest Immigration office, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting lawful and orderly migration across the country.
