Part of Truckload of Seized Narcotics Turns Into Sawdust in Police Custody
- Some suspected narcotics have gone missing in police custody in the Eastern Region after seizure
- Two persons arrested in connection with the seizure escaped from custody after being taken to the Sekesua Police Station
- The Asesewa District Police Commander, Superintendent Francis Ackah, was reportedly uncomfortable with the handling of the narcotics
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A seized five-tonne truck carrying over 100 sacks of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was brought to the Eastern Regional Police Command in Koforidua with nearly half of its original load missing.
The truck had been intercepted by a police patrol team, leading to the seizure.
Source: Getty Images
Citi News reported that many of the sacks had been replaced with sawdust upon inspection on October 1.
The Asesewa District Police Commander, Superintendent Francis Ackah, reportedly refused to release the vehicle unless he was personally escorted to Koforidua.
The two suspects arrested in connection with the case, identified as Sulley Abubakari and Sadat, were not present when the truck arrived in Koforidua.
Citi News also reported that the two persons arrested in connection with the narcotics escaped from custody after being taken to the Sekesua Police Station.
Notable recent drug bust
In September, police arrested a 39-year-old man in Labadi after he was caught using an ambulance to transport narcotics.
The suspect, Kwame Mananyi Tuanda, reportedly admitted he had been involved in this illegal trade since 2024.
A search of the ambulance uncovered several sacks containing dried leaves suspected to be narcotics.
Police said the private ambulance had been loaded with the suspected narcotics in Kpando in the Volta Region.
Also in September, the Tema police arrested four men after discovering 315 compressed parcels of suspected narcotics concealed in truck tires.
The suspects were identified as Nura Sali, 44, Pius Chukwuma, 49, Mustapha Umar, 18, and Abdulai Amayau, 23.
They were picked up following a tip-off, according to a police statement.
Officers from the Tema Community 1 District Police discovered suspected Indian hemp hidden within the tires.
The vehicle was impounded while investigations continue, with all four suspects remaining in police custody.
Source: Getty Images
Major drug bust at Ghana airport
In May, a drug bust at the Kotoka International Airport by officers from the Narcotics Control Commission led to the arrest of a UK national attempting to smuggle a substantial quantity of narcotics into Ghana.
A routine inspection led to the discovery of two suitcases containing 92 slabs of narcotics.
The suspect whose name was withheld, arrived in Accra at the Kotoka International Airport aboard Emirates flight EK 787 from Thailand via Dubai.
Nigerian man arrested at Oyarifa in drug bust
In March, YEN.com.gh reported that the Narcotics Control Commission arrested a 56-year-old Nigerian at Oyarifa in a drug bust. The suspect was identified as Uchechukwu Chima.
The arrest occurred on March 18, 2025, and led to the discovery of narcotics at the suspect’s hideout.
Field tests confirmed the substances as narcotics, with an estimated street value of $2.1 million.
According to a statement from the commission, Chima was under surveillance for some time and was linked to several past drug-related incidents in Ghana.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
