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Tag: Toyota

  • Volta Region: Two arrested for drug trafficking

    Volta Region: Two arrested for drug trafficking

    Two persons, Etornam Vumadzi and Emmanuel Komlagah, have been arrested by the Volta North Regional Police Command for allegedly trafficking substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

    Police retrieved a total of 18 sacks, each containing 36 yellow oval parcels, bringing the total to 648 parcels of suspected narcotic substances.

    The suspects were arrested on Friday, January 30, while transporting the suspected drugs from Godenu towards Togo in a Toyota minibus with registration number GT-6592-19. A police statement issued on Saturday, January 31, said the arrest was made during an intelligence-led operation.

    The statement further disclosed that an individual identified only as Joseph attempted to compromise the operation by offering a bribe of GH¢150,000, which was rejected by the police officers. It added that the officers also turned down an upfront bribe of GH¢32,000 allegedly offered by the suspects.

    On Thursday, January 29, a 50-year-old commercial driver, Atampugri Akanyani, was nabbed by the police after 714 slabs of suspected Indian hemp were found in his possession.

    The slabs which were hidden in nine nylon sacks were discovered during a routine snap check by police officers at the Asanso checkpoint along the Bekwai–Aputogya road on Tuesday, January 26, 2026.

    Atampugri Akanyani disclosed that an unknown individual at the Kejetia Lorry Terminal in Kumasi handed over the suspected Indian hemp to him for delivery, at a fee of six hundred Ghana cedis, to another unidentified person in Obuasi.

    Meanwhile, Atampugri Akanyani has since been arraigned before the court. Last year, 600 fertiliser sacks of Indian hemp, weighing a total of 47,530kg and valued at about GH¢4.2 billion, were destroyed by the Volta Regional Police Command.

    The destruction exercise, which occurred on Monday, November 17, was carried out pursuant to an order from the Ho Circuit Court. This information was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, November 20, and signed by Chief Inspector Francis Kwaru Gomado, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Region.

    Parts of the statement read, “the six hundred sacks contained a total of forty-seven thousand, five hundred and thirty kilograms (47,530kg) with an estimated face value of about 4.2 billion Ghana cedis.”

    In August 2025, the Central East Regional Police Command arrested two suspects in possession of 519 compressed parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp.

    The suspects, identified as Eric Nkyeke, 30, and Francis Klu, 28, were held in police custody. The Toyota Hilux pick-up with registration number GS 6849-21 was impounded at Nyanyano in the Gomoa East District.

    This was revealed in a statement issued by the Nyanyano District police command. In June, the police nabbed two suspects for having in their possession 84 parcels of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

    The police team, through an intelligence-led operation on June 15, intercepted an Opel Astra vehicle with registration number GT 6430-13 driven by suspect John Dzeble, together with suspect Adzobi Mesiwotso on board.

    A search conducted on the vehicle revealed 86 compressed parcels of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, discreetly concealed in the inner compartments of the car, including the engine, doors, and boot.

    In addition to the compressed parcels, the officers retrieved a portable measuring scale machine and a roll of masking tape, also concealed, believed to have been used in the packaging of the substancesThe suspects, along with the exhibits, are currently in Police custody, assisting with investigations.

    The Oti Regional Police Command has commended the swift and professional action of the personnel involved in the arrest and reaffirmed its commitment to curbing drug trafficking and related criminal activities.

    The arrest comes after a recent incident where the police captured one Christopher Partey for unlawful possession of 40 parcels of a substance suspected to be narcotic drugs.

    The National Highway Patrol Unit of the Ghana Police Service arrested on Wednesday, June 11.

    The team intercepted a Ford Transit bus with registration number AS 524-16 near the outskirts of Ayikuma township while on routine patrol along the Accra–Somanya corridor.

    A search of the vehicle revealed 40 tightly wrapped parcels concealed in a fertilizer sack in the vehicle’s boot. Upon interrogation, Christopher Partey, a passenger on board, admitted ownership of the items.

    The exhibits retrieved have been handed over to the Drug Law Enforcement Unit at the Police Headquarters for further investigation.

    The suspect is currently in police custody, assisting investigations, and will be put before the court. In April, a total of 189 Cadets were officially inducted into service to support Ghana’s ongoing efforts to combat narcotic drug trafficking and related crimes.

    The induction, held at the Eastern Naval Command, marked a significant collaboration between the Leadership Training School (LTS) and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).

    The event, which featured the ceremonial swearing of an oath of allegiance, signified the commitment of the new recruits to serve the nation with dedication and uphold the values of integrity and national security.

    The training, led by the Commanding Officer of LTS, is designed to build the capacity of cadets by focusing on the fundamentals of narcotics law and enforcement.

    The course places particular emphasis on confidence-building, professional discipline, and a thorough understanding of legal procedures necessary for their roles in narcotics control.

    As part of the induction, NACOC leadership underscored the importance of adherence to institutional rules and the responsible handling of classified information.

    The Commission reiterated its mission to disrupt the narcotics trade and act as a stabilizing force in communities vulnerable to the influence of drug-related activities.

    NACOC reaffirmed its commitment to making Ghana an unattractive hub for drug trafficking, prioritizing public safety and the protection of the nation’s borders.

    Calls have also been made for increased government support to enhance the Commission’s operational capacity, including the recruitment of additional personnel and the provision of improved financial and logistical resources.

    The new cadets are expected to play a key role in reinforcing the Commission’s enforcement operations across the country.

  • Local assembly companies can produce over 140,000 vehicles annually – Volkswagen Ghana CEO

    Local assembly companies can produce over 140,000 vehicles annually – Volkswagen Ghana CEO

    Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen Ghana, Jeffery Peprah, has highlighted the six local vehicle assembly companies’ competency to supply the country’s vehicle needs.

    He noted that a total of 120,000 vehicles were imported into the country.

    Out of this figure, 6,000 were new vehicles, he said during an interview on Citi FM.

    The six automobile assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Development Programme (GADP), including Volkswagen, Toyota, Rana Motors, Sinotruck, Japan Motors, and Kantanka, have urged the government to limit the importation of second-hand vehicles to boost the local industry.

    “Out of the new 6,000, 4,700 were assembled locally and this is coming from six different automobile assembling companies,” Jeffery Peprah said.

    According to him, the local vehicle assembly companies have 140,000 to 141,000 units that can be produced locally.

    Mr. Peprah defended the pricing of locally assembled vehicles, stating that the price reflects the value of each purchase. He outlined several benefits that buyers of locally assembled vehicles would enjoy compared to purchasing imported second-hand vehicles.

    “Looking at the pricing perspective at the moment, our new vehicles locally assembled are very competitive and as well as the things that come with them, especially you have a vehicle locally made with a five-year warrant, which is a very potential thing for the market here. Buyers have a warrant for servicing for five years and that is a big plus for the buyers”.

    Mr. Peprah stated that implementing some restrictions on imports would incentivize local companies to expand their production capacities.

    “If we are able to have a locally assembled product and with our capacities growing and once we have the numbers too growing, we will quickly move into more production phase where we will manufacture more products,” he added.

  • Former Minister slams Navrongo man for burying dad in a Toyota Corolla

    Former Minister slams Navrongo man for burying dad in a Toyota Corolla

    Former Upper East Regional Minister Tangoba Abayage has criticized businessman Norbert Atodio for his unconventional burial of his late father inside a Toyota Corolla. Abayage firmly condemned the act, labeling it as morally unjust and raising concerns over societal values.

    The former minister expressed disbelief that someone of Atodio’s stature would overlook the opportunity to address community challenges and instead use a car as a casket.

    In a Facebook post on May 28, 2023, she questioned Atodio’s lack of major social interventions within his immediate community of Doba and Navrongo at large, emphasizing that this choice demonstrated a lack of moral conscience.

    “People say he’s rich; I don’t know because I’ve never directly encountered him. For someone of his caliber, I’m yet to hear of any major social interventions he’s conducted for his immediate community, Doba, or Navrongo at large; I may be corrected.

    “For such a man to drive a whole car with a dead body inside underground smacks of a person who’s morally unjust to the society he sits in to make his money. I know his station, his community, and have been shown some members of his immediate family and I’m wondering how any man with a right moral conscience will overlook all these that immediately surround him to do what he’s just done,” she said.

    She argued that given his financial status, it was disheartening to witness such a display of moral bankruptcy where a valuable resource like a car was used as a burial container.

    The former Regional Minister suggested that the money could have been utilized to establish a herbal training center to honor his father‘s legacy as a powerful herbalist. Alternatively, she argued that the funds could have been directed toward revitalizing his ailing radio station or undertaking other humanitarian projects.

    “I’m told his dad was a very powerful herbalist whose work attracted a lot of foreigners (he became a beneficiary of his father’s great legacy). Which better way than to have told the dead dad, he’ll rather use the money for a car to build a lasting legacy of herbal training center to honor him?

    “Could he have chosen to use the funds to revamp his ailing station and restructure it to perform top-notch in honor of his dad? Could he have done any other humanitarian project with that money in honor of his dad?

    “Yes, he could. But he didn’t, he rather chose to bury his dad’s legacy in a tomb. That for me is morally wrong and on that basis, I condemn this singular act of Mr. Atodio.

    “No, this doesn’t make you a hero at all, it makes you morally bankrupt,” she added.

    Businessman Dr. Norbert, over the weekend, buried his late father in a white Toyota Corolla despite caution from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

    Dr. Norbert, before his father’s burial, sought permission from the EPA but was denied as the outfit stated the action broke environmental laws.

    The businessman, however, followed through with the initial plan of burying his father in a car because of the bond the two shared.

    In a video sighted on UTV Ghana’s official Twitter page, the deceased was said to have been laid in a reclined front passenger seat and driven into his grave on the outskirt of the town.

    According to the Upper East Correspondent for UTV, Alhassan Abdul Washeed, Dr. Norbert, who is a medical practitioner in Navrongo was invited by the EPA, Kassena Nankana Municipal Assembly, and the National Security to caution him but the former refused.

    It is also suspected that Dr. Norbert could be directed to dig up his father’s grave for flouting the rules and pleas of authorities.

  • Guy faces jail time for building his own Ferrari F430 out of a Toyota

    A 26-year-old man was recently charged with forgery and breach of trademarks after it was discovered that his red Ferrari F430 was actually a modified Toyota MR Coupé.

    Italy’s Guardia di Finanza made the unusual seizure during a routine check in the town of Asti, Italy. Although the red Ferrari featured all the iconic elements of the F430, from the prancing horse logo on the bonnet and steering wheel, to the rims, brake calipers and iconic headlights, something about the vehicle seemed wrong. It’s unclear whether the motorist had the necessary documents to prove that his car was a genuine Ferrari F430 or not, but the police officers called a team of experts just to be sure. They confirmed that the car was actually a modified Toyota MR Coupé.

    Although this is certainly not the first time someone converts their cheap ride into their own exclusive supercar, what makes this case special is the high level of forgery. Instead of a simple carbon fiber frame over a regular chassis and some fake logos, whoever made this fake F430 did an outstanding job.

    Photo: Guardia di Finanza Asti

    Both the exterior and the interior of the car were closely modeled after that of the F430 Ferrari built between 2004 and 2009 at Maranello.

    According to the experts who confirmed the forgery, the car even featured original Ferrari parts and accessories, making that much harder to notice that it was actually a Toyota.

  • Toyota plans limited operations in France, Poland from April 22

    Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) on Monday said it plans to restart limited production at vehicle plants in France and Poland from April 22 after closing them due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Most other plants in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia will remain closed for now, it said in a news release.

    Source: reuters.com