40kg Bust: Lebanon Suspect Reportedly Opens Up on How He Bypassed Ghana Airport Checks

• A Syrian national was intercepted at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport on Saturday, October 31, 2026, carrying 40kg of an illegal substance reportedly sourced from Ghana
• The suspect allegedly told interrogators he paid bribes to Ghanaian airport officials who allowed him through security without being searched
• Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has launched an active operation to arrest suspected accomplices on Ghanaian soil following the bust

A Syrian national arrested at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport on October 31, 2026, while allegedly carrying 40kg of illegal substance sourced from Ghana, has reportedly broken his silence and disclosed how he managed to leave Accra without being detected.

According to LBC journalist Wissam Nasarallah, a source from the Beirut airport revealed that during questioning, the suspect claimed he had paid bribes to officials at the Accra international airport, who in turn allowed him to pass through security checkpoints without being searched.

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The man reportedly said he was promised a total of US$3,000 upon successfully delivering the illegal substance to a contact waiting outside the Lebanon airport.

Ghana Airport under scrutiny over security lapses

The admission has intensified public scrutiny of Ghana's airport security apparatus, especially given that the Accra International Airport has recently been equipped with advanced screening technologies, sniffer dogs, and other detection measures intended to curb the movement of illegal substances.

Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) responded swiftly, launching an active operation to apprehend suspected accomplices believed to be operating on Ghanaian soil.

This incident is not isolated. It follows a seizure of 70kg of illegal substance traced to Ghana in November 2025, and a separate interception of 3.9 tonnes of illegal substance from Ghana at a French airport, raising persistent questions about the effectiveness and integrity of agencies responsible for screening at Ghanaian ports of entry.

The YouTube video below provides more details about the illegal substance seizure update.

Netizens share disappointment at Ghana Airport

The revelations drew sharp responses online, with many calling for accountability from those in charge of airport operations.

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@YvesAfrique:

"The head of the airport has to be brought to book."

@brightObeng-y2h:

"They should concentrate on those collecting bribes and allowing such things through our Airports instead of harassing ordinary Ghanaians on gifts purchased for families."

@EmmanuelMensahGenesiz:

"This is so embarrassing."

@hildakay:

"It's a big shame to Ghana hmm."

@wisdomsenyo3012:

"This is becoming one too many for our country, Ghana. Too bad!"

@oppongrichmond-xu6ie: "So embarrassing as a nation."

@jaysean4898:

"The collaboration turned into a bribe😂😂😂."

@apn3259:

"Those officials must be identified and prosecuted. This is embarrassing 😤."

@abdulazizabonjo2845:

"They should arrest all those people who were on duty at the scanner and those using the dogs."

France bust: Ghana President takes action

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Dramani Mahama directed all security and regulatory agencies at Ghana's ports to produce a unified operational framework within two weeks, signalling a significant shift in how the country manages port security and trade oversight.

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The order came during a high-level meeting held at the Presidency on Wednesday, September 17, 2026, attended by key figures from the national security, narcotics control, and transportation sectors.

Sources at the meeting told 3news' Komla Klutse that the President raised concerns about overlapping mandates, duplicated roles, and coordination gaps across agencies operating at the ports, issues that have fuelled growing unease over illegal substance movement and revenue losses.

Source: YEN.com.gh