In a groundbreaking operation, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has intercepted a staggering 3,319.66 kilogrammes (3.3 tonnes) of substances suspected to be cocaine, with a street value of approximately $350 million.
The massive haul was concealed in sacks and bags, cleverly hidden in heaps of sand in a tipper truck to evade detection.
However, vigilant NIB operatives uncovered the illicit cargo, marking a significant milestone in the country’s fight against narcotics.
The tipper truck was intercepted at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast in the Central Region while en route to Accra.
The seizure of over 3,300kg of cocaine is one of the largest in the country’s history.
Arrests and Initial Findings
The driver of the tipper truck, 39-year-old Isaac Quaicoo, and his mate, Kenneth Cobbinah, a 25-year-old tertiary student, are currently in custody, assisting the NIB with investigations.
Upon offloading the sand, authorities retrieved 143 distinctly marked sacks, collectively weighing 2,974kg. Preliminary field testing conducted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) confirmed the substance as cocaine.
Further intelligence-led investigations led NIB operatives to the residence of a suspect, where a subsequent search on March 8, 2025, uncovered an additional 13 sacks and one bag of suspected cocaine, weighing 345.07kg.
Laboratory analyses conducted by NACOC and the Ghana Standards Authority confirmed the seized substances to be high-purity cocaine, with a purity level ranging from 50 per cent to 70 per cent, NIB sources told the Daily Graphic.
The suspects are scheduled to reappear in court on April 2, 2025.
Accomplices
Meanwhile, the NIB has identified additional accomplices who are currently on the run and is actively pursuing their arrest to ensure all individuals involved face justice.
Investigators have named one Charles Hagan as the individual who contracted the driver and his mate to transport the consignment.
A follow-up search at the residence of one Francis Awortwi, a close associate of Hagan, also known as “Panya,” who allegedly arranged for the tipper truck driver to haul the consignment to Accra, led to further discoveries of suspected cocaine.
A source at the NIB stated that the operation showcased the effectiveness of the bureau’s efforts to combat narcotics trafficking and highlighted the importance of collaborative law enforcement in dismantling organized crime networks.
Previous Drug Seizures
In June last year, two British citizens were arrested for attempting to smuggle $6.48 million (£5 million) worth of cocaine from Ghana to London.
Approximately 166kg (366lbs) of the substance was seized at Kotoka International Airport in connection with the case.
The suspects were scheduled to board a British Airways flight to London Gatwick Airport.
Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission alleged that the pair had hidden the cocaine, which was cut into 72 slabs, in six suitcases.
In 2022, security agencies recorded a substantial surge in drug seizures, amounting to a record-breaking total of 59.9kg of illicit drugs.
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