The Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Twum-Barimah, has disclosed that only Customs officers and officials of Meridian Port Services (MPS) are stationed in the scanning room where containers are screened for suspicious items. This revelation comes amid recent narcotics seizures and growing concerns over the movement of illicit drugs through Ghana's ports. According to Mr. Twum-Barimah, Customs officers play a crucial role in analyzing images generated by scanners and investigating abnormalities detected during the process.
Mr. Twum-Barimah's comments were made on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, 26 September 2026. He emphasized that the role of Customs officers in the scanning room is particularly important, as they are responsible for interpreting images produced by scanning equipment. The containers implicated in recent drug seizures had gone through the scanning process, raising questions about how they passed inspection without detected abnormalities. As a result, the Customs officers involved have been arrested to explain how the containers went through scanning undetected.
The scanning equipment is designed to flag anything unusual detected inside a container. According to Mr. Twum-Barimah, the scanner will prompt those viewing it at the backend if it detects anything abnormal. Officers monitoring the scanner are expected to investigate any alerts and conduct physical examinations where necessary. When an alert is triggered, officers are supposed to determine the cause of the abnormality, which may require a physical examination to verify the scanner's prompt.
The arrest of the Customs officers aims to establish how the containers passed through the scanning process despite being linked to narcotics seizures. Mr. Twum-Barimah's statements highlight the importance of effective collaboration between agencies in preventing the smuggling of illicit substances. The issue has sparked concerns about the potential for drug cartels to exploit Ghana's ports as a means of trafficking narcotics.
The NACOC Deputy Director-General's comments come at a time when Ghana is facing challenges in addressing the issue of drug trafficking. The country has seen a rise in narcotics seizures, and there are concerns that Ghana may become a hub for drug trafficking. The government has been urged to take steps to address the issue, including strengthening enforcement and improving inter-agency collaboration.
The scanning process at Ghana's ports involves the use of advanced equipment to detect suspicious items in containers. However, the recent drug seizures have raised questions about the effectiveness of the scanning process and the potential for corruption or incompetence. The NACOC and other agencies are working to address these concerns and prevent future incidents.
The issue of drug trafficking in Ghana is a complex one, requiring a multifaceted approach to address. The government, working with agencies such as NACOC, must take steps to strengthen enforcement, improve inter-agency collaboration, and address the root causes of the problem. The goal is to prevent Ghana from becoming a hub for drug trafficking and to ensure the country's ports are secure.
Key points
- Only Customs officers and Meridian Port Services officials are stationed in the scanning room where containers are screened for suspicious items.
- The scanning equipment is designed to flag anything unusual detected inside a container, and officers are expected to investigate any alerts and conduct physical examinations where necessary.
- The arrest of Customs officers aims to establish how containers passed through the scanning process despite being linked to narcotics seizures.
