NACOC Intensifies Probe as Opioid-Filled Container Vanishes from Tema Port, One Suspect Arrested
A shipping container suspected to contain synthetic opioids, originating from India on March 26, 2025, has gone missing from Tema Port, prompting a robust response from the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).
Following heightened surveillance triggered by a BBC documentary exposing Ghana as a hotspot for synthetic opioid trafficking, NACOC flagged the container for investigation. It was dispatched for scanning on May 23, 2025, but has since disappeared, raising concerns about security lapses at the port.
One suspect, a freight forwarder linked to BJH Logistics and Sabadaat S&D Enterprise, has been arrested, while two others remain at large. The suspect admitted to submitting the consignment declaration in the E-customs system on behalf of Sabadaat S&D Enterprise, using a bill of lading and invoice provided by the fugitives. He faces charges of importing drugs and other products in violation of Section 122 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
NACOC’s intensified port monitoring aligns with its mandate under the Narcotics Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Law, 1990 (PNDCL 236), and subsequent Act 1019, to curb illicit drug trafficking.
The commission’s efforts are supported by international collaborations, including Operation Westbridge with the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs and partnerships with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
The missing container underscores the challenges of combating sophisticated drug trafficking networks, with investigators now focusing on tracking the fugitives and recovering the consignment to prevent further proliferation of narcotics in Ghana.
