Senior Prisons Officer Caught Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle Indian Hemp Into Kete-Krachi Facility
- A Ghana Prisons Service officer has been interdicted after being arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected Indian hemp into the Kete-Krachi Local Prison on June 19, 2026
- Chief Officer Michael Osei-Bonsu was arraigned before the Kete-Krachi District Magistrate Court and remanded into custody for two weeks
- The Ghana Prisons Service has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related offences and other contraband, including mobile phones
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The Ghana Prisons Service has interdicted Chief Officer Michael Osei-Bonsu following his arrest for allegedly attempting to smuggle a substance suspected to be Indian hemp into the Kete-Krachi Local Prison in the Oti Region.
The incident took place on Friday, June 19, 2026, during routine security checks conducted by officers on duty ahead of the night shift.
Source: Getty Images
The suspected narcotic substance was detected and retrieved at the prison gate, with the Ghana Prisons Service attributing the discovery to the vigilance and professionalism of the officers on duty.
Chief Officer Osei-Bonsu was immediately handed over to the Kete-Krachi District Police for further investigations. He was subsequently arraigned before the Kete-Krachi District Magistrate Court and remanded into custody for two weeks. The case has been adjourned to July 8, 2026.
In line with regulations governing the Ghana Prisons Service, the officer has been interdicted pending the outcome of both the criminal proceedings and internal disciplinary processes.
In a statement on Facebook, the Ghana Prisons Service assured the public of its firm stance on drug-related offences and other contraband, including mobile phones.
Past instances of illicit smuggling in Ghana
In 2024, the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) interdicted some staff allegedly involved in a narcotics smuggling incident at the major airport in Accra.
The incident was discovered after the smuggler was apprehended by Brussels police in Belgium.
The GACL assured the general public that it was committed to ensuring safety and security at the KIA.
They had been importing narcotics from Brazil and other countries, according to the Intelligence Unit of the Narcotic Control Board.
Volta police arrest suspect over GH¢1m narcotics
Police officers in the Volta Region rejected a reported $20,000 bribe from a man transporting narcotics to Nigeria.
The suspect was arrested on January 21, 2026, after the narcotics worth GH¢1.032 million were intercepted.
Source: UGC
The Chronicle reported that the suspect was identified as 46-year-old Nigerian international Charles Adenkule.
He was stopped at the Kpotame barrier, located between Ada Junction in the Greater Accra Region and Sogakope, in the South Tongu district, at about 6:30 pm.
Similar shows of integrity from police have happened in the past, with the police arresting four people with 104 bags of narcotics during a special operation in 2023.
Smuggling between Ghana and Nigeria
YEN.com.gh reported in November 2024 that security agencies intercepted a consignment of smuggled mining explosives.
The explosives, believed to have been constructed in Nigeria, were transported by road and brought in through the Kpoglo border.
The Chronicle reported that the seizure on May 29, 2024, was made by security agencies at the Segbe Border Post, north of Aflao.
Source: YEN.com.gh
