Police uncover 1,400 rounds of AK-47 ammunition hidden in Bolgatanga workshop hen coop

The Upper East Regional Police Command has retrieved 1,400 rounds of ammunition concealed in a hen coop at a mechanic workshop near the Assemblies of God Church in Bolgatanga.

The ammunition was discovered on Friday, May 9, 2026, after an auto mechanic reported to the police that his apprentice had found suspicious items while sweeping the workshop premises.

Police officers who responded to the report recovered two sealed packets hidden inside fertiliser sacks in the poultry enclosure.

Each packet contained 700 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition, bringing the total number of rounds retrieved to 1,400. The calibre is commonly used in AK-47 rifles and related assault weapons.

The police disclosed the retrieval in a statement issued on Sunday, May 10, 2026.

According to the statement, the ammunition has been kept in police custody for evidential purposes while investigations continue to determine its source and ownership.

No arrests had been made at the time of filing this report.

The retrieval adds to a series of ammunition interceptions recorded in the country in recent months.

In April 2025, the Ghana Police Service announced the interception of 33,000 rounds of ammunition concealed in 132 boxes on a bus travelling from Accra to Benin during a routine inspection.

Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, is located near Ghana’s northern border with Burkina Faso, where insecurity linked to armed groups has continued to worsen across the Sahel region.

The police have not indicated how long the ammunition had been kept at the workshop.

Investigations are ongoing, while the police have appealed to the public to volunteer information that could assist the investigations.