Africa's largest gold producer is cracking down on smuggling, offering whistleblowers a percentage of the seized gold.

Ghanaian authorities on Tuesday established special teams consisting of police officers and soldiers to combat gold smuggling, and informants who help stop the smuggling will be paid 10 percent of the value of the confiscated gold, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama announced on Tuesday.

New anti-gold smuggling units will be sent to mining areas and patrol known smuggling routes.

Ghana, Africa's largest gold producer, has something to defend, having officially exported 55.7 tons of gold worth $5 billion in just the first five months of 2025. According to a report published in June by the Swissaid foundation, 229 tons of gold worth approximately $11.4 billion was illegally exported from Ghana over the past five years.

From Ghana, gold is smuggled to neighboring Togo, from where it is flown in smugglers' suitcases to Dubai, where it does not have to be declared, and then mixed with other, legally obtained gold, it reaches markets around the world.

High gold prices, which peaked at $3,500 an ounce in April this year, are motivating African governments to curb smuggling and increase domestic revenues. (PAP)

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