Roughly 152kg of cocaine has been intercepted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) at the Tema Harbour. NACOC said the drugs were concealed in a shipment of sugar from Brazil.
In a statement, NACOC said intelligence-sharing by the Commission, Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the National Security Council Secretariat led to the successful interception of the consignment.
NACOC said laboratory tests have since confirmed that the substances are indeed cocaine. Some arrests have been made.
Investigations launched
The Commission said it has launched full investigations into the matter to uncover all those involved.
The statement said NACOC has taken custody of the exhibits, in the form of 150 separate slabs when they arrived in the country.
It added that the consignment of sugar was scheduled to be delivered to a company in Ghana called Tradepass GH Limited.
“Following the seizure, a number of persons have been arrested and assisting with investigations,” the statement said.
“Preliminary investigations have revealed that the consignment of sugar were [sic] to be delivered to “Tradepass GH Limited,” the statement added.
Growing addiction
The cocaine seizure follows recent reports that many young Ghanaians are becoming highly dependent on illicit drugs such as cocaine.
Cocaine is now the third most abused drug in Ghana, with marijuana and tramadol topping the list.
In April, a documentary by the Think Ghana Foundation captured the stories of girls as young as 16 who had become cocaine addicts.
“I want to stop. I don’t like the lifestyle I’m in right now. I steal, prostitute just to get money for drugs. I need help,” one of the addicts, who gave her name as Diana Ntriwaa, said.
Another teenage addict, Ruth Amponsah, added: “It is not a good thing. If I don’t get to sniff [during the] day, I go through a lot of pain. Please, this is advice for you: if anyone gives it to you, don’t accept it. I need help, I want to stop.”
E A Alanore
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