US Army major faces 20-year jail term for smuggling guns to Ghana

A United States of America army major, Kojo Owusu Dartey, is facing 20 years in jail for smuggling guns to Ghana.

A federal jury convicted Dartey, currently assigned to Fort Liberty, on charges of dealing in firearms without a license, delivering firearms without notice to the carrier and smuggling goods from the United States, a statement by the United States Attorney’s office said.

Also, he is charged with illegally exporting firearms without a license, making false statements to an agency of the US, making false declarations before the court, and conspiracy.

The 42-year-old faces a maximum penalty of 240 months when sentenced on July 23, 2024.

“We are partnering with law enforcement agencies across the globe to expose international criminals – from money launderers to rogue international arms traffickers capable of fueling violence abroad,” said U.S Attorney Michael Easley.

“Through a partnership with Ghanaian officials, this rogue Army Major was convicted at trial after smuggling guns to Ghana in blue barrels of rice and household goods.

“I want to thank the Ghana Revenue Authority and the International Cooperation Unit Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana for their assistance in the investigation.

“I also commend the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attachés to U.S. Embassy Accra and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division for their significant assistance to this prosecution.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between June 28 and July 2, 2021, Dartey purchased seven firearms in the Fort Liberty area.

He then tasked a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to purchase three firearms there and send them to him in North Carolina.

It was gathered that Dartey then hid all the firearms, including multiple handguns, an AR15, 50-round magazines, suppressors, and a combat shotgun inside blue barrels underneath rice and household goods.

He smuggled the barrels out of the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, on a container ship to the Port of Tema in Ghana.

The Ghana Revenue Authority recovered the firearms and reported the seizure to the DEA attaché in Ghana and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.