Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has made another significant arrest at Kotoka International Airport (KIA), this time involving a British female passenger attempting to smuggle cannabis on a British Airways flight from Accra to the United Kingdom. The arrest marks the second such incident within a 24-hour period, highlighting what appears to be a troubling trend of international drug trafficking through Ghana’s busiest airport.
The most recent arrest occurred on May 19, when the female suspect was apprehended while boarding British Airways flight BA 2066 en route to Gatwick Airport in London. Security officers, acting on intelligence and routine screening procedures, discovered a suitcase in her possession containing 32 compressed slabs of a substance suspected to be cannabis. Field tests confirmed the material as cannabis, weighing a total of 17.72 kilograms.
Following the discovery, the suspect was immediately detained and transferred to NACOC headquarters for further interrogation and investigation. Authorities are working to determine whether this case is linked to a broader smuggling network, especially in light of a similar arrest that occurred just hours earlier.
On May 18, NACOC intercepted another British national arriving in Accra from Thailand via Dubai on Emirates flight EK 787. That operation led to the seizure of 92 slabs of cannabis—totaling 53.6 kilograms—concealed in two suitcases. The earlier arrest triggered a follow-up investigation, which resulted in the detention of two suspected accomplices. A customs officer and a porter from the airport’s Commercially Important Person (CIP) section were implicated in facilitating the drug trafficking attempt.
The back-to-back arrests have prompted NACOC and airport security teams to ramp up surveillance and inspection efforts at all points of entry and exit, particularly on flights bound for Europe and Asia. The commission has reaffirmed its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and bringing all involved parties to justice.
“These arrests reflect our strengthened collaboration with airport security and law enforcement agencies,” a NACOC spokesperson stated. “We will continue to pursue traffickers and dismantle the networks that enable this illegal trade.”
Authorities are urging the public and travelers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity. With international scrutiny intensifying, NACOC’s swift action serves as a reminder of Ghana’s firm stance against the use of its borders for narcotics trafficking.
Investigations into both cases are ongoing, and further developments are expected as NACOC deepens its probe into potential transnational criminal operations.
Following the discovery, the suspect was immediately detained and transferred to NACOC headquarters for further interrogation and investigation. Authorities are working to determine whether this case is linked to a broader smuggling network, especially in light of a similar arrest that occurred just hours earlier.
On May 18, NACOC intercepted another British national arriving in Accra from Thailand via Dubai on Emirates flight EK 787. That operation led to the seizure of 92 slabs of cannabis—totaling 53.6 kilograms—concealed in two suitcases. The earlier arrest triggered a follow-up investigation, which resulted in the detention of two suspected accomplices. A customs officer and a porter from the airport’s Commercially Important Person (CIP) section were implicated in facilitating the drug trafficking attempt.
The back-to-back arrests have prompted NACOC and airport security teams to ramp up surveillance and inspection efforts at all points of entry and exit, particularly on flights bound for Europe and Asia. The commission has reaffirmed its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and bringing all involved parties to justice.
“These arrests reflect our strengthened collaboration with airport security and law enforcement agencies,” a NACOC spokesperson stated. “We will continue to pursue traffickers and dismantle the networks that enable this illegal trade.”
Authorities are urging the public and travelers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity. With international scrutiny intensifying, NACOC’s swift action serves as a reminder of Ghana’s firm stance against the use of its borders for narcotics trafficking.
Investigations into both cases are ongoing, and further developments are expected as NACOC deepens its probe into potential transnational criminal operations.
