The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana has clarified that suspects arrested in connection with a €225 million cocaine seizure in France have no links to the presidency. This clarification comes after preliminary background checks were conducted on the suspects. Deputy Director-General of NACOC, Alexander Twum-Barimah, emphasized that none of the suspects in custody are presidential bodyguards or escorts.
The clarification was made necessary by claims from Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the New Tafo Member of Parliament, who alleged that one of the suspects, Musah Atta, was part of the security detail of President John Dramani Mahama and the Vice President. Assafuah expressed concerns about how a presidential security operative could be linked to such a large-scale drug trafficking case.
The cocaine seizure occurred on September 10, when French customs authorities intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, estimated to be worth €225 million, concealed in a consignment of plastic waste that originated from Ghana and arrived at Dunkirk in northern France. The drugs were hidden in a container reportedly en route to Antwerp, Belgium. French authorities said the interception followed a judicial police operation targeting a criminal syndicate.
The seizure is part of a larger trend of major trafficking cases involving Ghana. On March 4, 2025, more than 3.3 tonnes of cocaine concealed beneath sand and travelling from Takoradi to Accra, with an estimated street value exceeding US$350 million, were intercepted. Recently, government authorities have stepped up efforts to curb the illegal smuggling and sale of prohibited goods, including narcotic drugs.
In a related development, four Customs officers are among 10 individuals detained as part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking through Ghana's ports. The identities of those in custody have not been disclosed, nor have details of the allegations against them. It is also unclear whether any charges have been filed, as investigations remain ongoing.
The NACOC has been actively involved in seizing consignments of narcotics. In August, three persons were remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly concealing 869 slabs of suspected cocaine in bags of gari and cassava powder in Tema. Additionally, the NACOC seized a consignment containing approximately five million Tramadol tablets valued at an estimated GH¢100 million at the Accra International Airport.
The Police have also been involved in efforts to curb drug trafficking. In March, nine public officers, including five Customs officials, were arrested for their alleged involvement in an undeclared Tramadol consignment at Tema Port. The remaining four comprised one officer each from the Narcotics Control Commission, Port Security, the Energy Commission, and the Ghana Standards Authority.
Key points
- The suspects in the €225m cocaine haul have no links to the presidency.
- The cocaine seizure was part of a larger trend of major trafficking cases involving Ghana.
- Ghanaian authorities have stepped up efforts to curb the illegal smuggling and sale of prohibited goods.
