The Interior Minister, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has revealed that a possible major drug seizure fell through after an informant asked the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) for US$20 million in return for information.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, 12 October, Mr Muntaka said the person recently approached the NACOC Director, offering to lead the commission to a large drug consignment if the money was paid. He called the demand unreasonable given the commission’s limited budget.
“What is the budget of the whole Narcotics Control Commission that somebody, an informant, is making this kind of demand?” he asked.
The minister said the case shows how hard it can be for security agencies to get intelligence from the public, even though that information is often what stops crimes and leads to arrests.
He said the government is ready to pay informants whose information proves credible, but the demands from the informants must be reasonable and within what the institutions involved can afford.
Since he took office at the Interior Ministry, he said, several people have come to him with information about suspected illegal activity, and some asked for money in return. He said in situations where an agreement has been made to pay for information, the state must keep to its word if the information turns out to be reliable.
Mr Muntaka asked the public to understand that law enforcement agencies work with limited resources and cannot meet every financial demand.
“We are pleading with our citizens that we need to keep all of us safe. We don’t have unlimited resources. Sometimes we do this from our own pocket. Please, help us,” he said.
He added that the government can cover reasonable expenses for informants, such as transport, but urged them not to make excessive demands.
On the wider fight against drug trafficking, the minister said Ghana is making progress in identifying and arresting suspects. He credited cooperation with international partners and a better ability to trace suspects once a drug-related incident is reported or discovered.
“Previously, identifying individuals suspected of involvement in such crimes could take a long time. Today, however, we can identify suspects and make arrests within three to four days,” he said.
Mr Muntaka said Ghana cannot tackle drug trafficking alone because the criminal networks involved operate across borders. He therefore called for continued intelligence sharing among countries so that trafficking networks can be identified, suspects tracked and illicit drugs stopped from moving through the region.
He also urged the public to report suspicious activity.
“You see something, say something,” he said.
