Ghana Charcoal-Meth Bust: NACOC Arrests Kingpin in 320kg Australia Drug Plot
- NACOC has arrested the main suspect linked to an international drug trade syndicate behind the seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine intercepted in Australia
- The illicit substance were reportedly concealed in charcoal exported from Ghana, prompting a joint three-month intelligence operation involving Ghana’s security agencies
- Authorities said the wider network is still under investigation, with more arrests expected as the crackdown continues.
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The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested the principal suspect believed to be behind a major international drug trade network linked to the interception of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine by Australian authorities.
The Class A substances were reportedly concealed in sacks of charcoal exported from Ghana.
Source: UGC
According to a report by Graphiconline, the arrest follows a coordinated three-month intelligence-led operation between NACOC and the National Intelligence Bureau (formerly BNI).
NACOC said the officers were deployed on sustained round-the-clock surveillance, with teams working for months away from their families in what officials described as an intensive and highly sensitive operation.
NACOC Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey said the breakthrough reflects the scale of commitment invested by operatives.
He noted that the suspect’s arrest was the result of prolonged monitoring and intelligence sharing between Ghanaian security agencies and international partners.
“We are still on the ground. This afternoon, we will be picking more,” Brig. Gen. Mantey stated. “Wherever we are, we get information. It is only God and the courts that can free you.”
NACOC promises more arrest
Brigadier General Mantey added that ongoing investigations suggest further arrests are imminent, warning that no individual linked to the syndicate would be spared scrutiny.
“If your name is mentioned, we suspect anything based on our intelligence. Rest assured, action will follow,” he said.
Security agencies have indicated that the operation is not yet complete, with efforts continuing to identify and apprehend local accomplices believed to have facilitated the exportation of the narcotics.
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The Australian investigation was triggered after law enforcement officers intercepted a consignment containing 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine.
Three suspects have since been charged in Australia, including a British national and an Australian couple, all of whom remain in custody pending further proceedings.
The announcement in Accra coincided with the public destruction of more than 9.6 tonnes of seized illicit subsrance carried out under strict supervision and verified by the Ghana Standards Authority to ensure transparency and compliance with disposal procedures.
Officials say the combined operations underscore strengthened cooperation between Ghanaian and international security agencies in tackling transnational drug trade networks.
NACOC arrests 5 Central University students
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Narcotics Control Commission arrested five Central University students during an operation on the campus.
The suspects allegedly produced and distributed substance-infused ice cream, sobolo, and toffees.
Management of the university has suspended all remaining SRC week activities following the incident.
Source: YEN.com.gh
