The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has arrested 1,055 West African nationals in an intelligence-led operation aimed at tackling organised street begging and suspected human trafficking activities in Accra and Kumasi.
The exercise, carried out in the early hours of Saturday, August 29, 2026, targeted several locations identified as hotspots for street begging and possible exploitation of vulnerable persons.
The GIS said the operation was designed not only to enforce immigration laws but also to rescue individuals who may have been trafficked or subjected to exploitation.
Those arrested comprised 662 children, 248 women and 145 men.
The Service said its investigations had uncovered indications of a growing practice in which children are allegedly trafficked and placed on the streets to solicit money from motorists and members of the public.
Some Ghanaian nationals were also apprehended for their alleged involvement as local facilitators for the networks.
In the Greater Accra Region, officers conducted the operation at Abossey Okai, Sabon Zongo, Madina Zongo Junction, Madina, Ashaiman and Tema.
Similar exercises were carried out in parts of the Kumasi Metropolis, including Asawase, Alabar, Akwatia Line, Dagomba Line, Sabon Zongo, Airport Junction and Aboabo.
The GIS said the coordinated operation was intended to disrupt organised networks operating across multiple locations, rather than merely remove individual beggars from the streets.
The Service said further investigations would help establish the circumstances of those arrested and identify persons who may have been victims of trafficking or other forms of abuse.
