Lydia Yaako Donkor@lydiadonkor13
A single recovered firearm can expose an entire criminal network.
At the 21st INTERPOL Heads of National Central Bureaus Conference in Lyon, France, I highlighted on “The use of INTERPOL’s iARMS database against firearm crimes in West Africa: the case of Ghana.” Firearm crime is not isolated. It is linked to organized crime, trafficking networks, and cross-border threats. Ghana’s approach shows that iARMS is not just a database. It is an operational tool that supports tracing, intelligence development, and international cooperation.
Between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026, Ghana conducted 5,251 searches, resulting in 80 hits, with 66 linked to the United States and tied to active investigations. This shows how every recovery, when properly traced, can generate real intelligence beyond borders.