US Army Major convicted for smuggling guns to Ghana disguised as rice and home goods
A United States Army Major, Kojo Owusu Dartey, has been found guilty by a federal jury on multiple charges related to smuggling firearms to Ghana concealed within blue barrels of rice and household goods.
Advertisement
The 42-year-old officer, currently stationed at Fort Liberty, faces a maximum sentence of 240 months, scheduled to be pronounced on July 23, 2024.
The conviction follows a joint effort between US law enforcement agencies and Ghanaian authorities, shedding light on an international arms trafficking operation. Dartey was charged with dealing in firearms without a license, delivering firearms without notice to the carrier, smuggling goods from the US, illegally exporting firearms without a license, making false statements to a US agency, making false declarations before the court, and conspiracy.
US Attorney Michael Easley expressed gratitude for the collaboration with Ghanaian officials, highlighting the role of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the International Cooperation Unit Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana in the investigation. He also acknowledged the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attachés in Accra, and the US Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs.
Toni M. Crosby, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Baltimore Field Division, emphasized the impact of firearms trafficking on public safety and commended the joint investigation that prevented firearms from reaching criminal hands.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that between June 28 and July 2, 2021, Dartey acquired seven firearms in Fort Liberty and directed a US Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to purchase three firearms for him. These firearms, including handguns, an AR15, 50-round magazines, suppressors, and a combat shotgun, were concealed in blue barrels along with rice and household items and shipped from the Port of Baltimore 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. At the same time, Dartey was a witness in the trial of U.S. v. Agyapong. A case that involved a 16-defendant marriage fraud scheme between soldiers on Fort Liberty and foreign nationals from Ghana that Dartey had tipped off officials to. In preparation for the trial, Dartey lied to federal law enforcement about his sexual relationship with a defense witness and lied on the stand and under oath about the relationship.
The Ghana Revenue Authority intercepted the firearms, triggering an international response involving US agencies. Simultaneously, Dartey was involved in another trial as a witness, where he misled law enforcement about personal matters and lied under oath about a relationship, leading to additional charges.
The case was investigated by the ATF, Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the US Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement, with prosecution led by Assistant US Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz, supported by technical expertise from David Ryan of the DOJ Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The verdict was accepted by Chief US District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
Read the entire press release below;
PRESS RELEASE
Jury Finds U.S. Army Major Guilty After He Smuggled Guns to Ghana in Blue Barrels of Rice and Home Goods
Monday, April 29, 2024
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a United States Army Major, currently assigned to Fort Liberty, on charges of dealing in firearms without a license, delivering firearms without notice to the carrier, smuggling goods from the United States, illegally exporting firearms without a license, making false statements made to an agency of the United States, making false declarations before the court, and conspiracy. Kojo Owusu Dartey, age 42, 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.”
“Far from being a victimless crime, firearms trafficking threatens public safety across our nation and beyond,” said Toni M. Crosby, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Baltimore Field Division. “The Baltimore Field Division is proud to partner with the Ghana Revenue Authority and ATF’s Charlotte and Louisville Field Divisions for this investigation, which has kept firearms off the streets — preventing them from being used in any number of killings and other crimes — and ended this international firearm trafficking scheme.”
Blue barrel with text and firearms in the background
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 and tasked a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to purchase three firearms there and send them to Dartey in North Carolina. 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 and 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. At the same time, Dartey was a witness in the trial of U.S. v. Agyapong. A case that involved a 16-defendant marriage fraud scheme between soldiers on Fort Liberty and foreign nationals from Ghana that Dartey had tipped off officials to. In preparation for the trial, Dartey lied to federal law enforcement about his sexual relationship with a defense witness and lied on the stand and under oath about the relationship.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The ATF, Army Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz prosecuted it with technical assistance from David Ryan, DOJ Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.