The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has announced the arrest of the alleged kingpin and two accomplices linked to an international drug trafficking syndicate responsible for shipping 320 kilograms of methamphetamine worth an estimated US$296 million to Australia.

The arrests follow a three-month intelligence-led investigation launched after Australia’s Federal Police intercepted the methamphetamine concealed in charcoal bags at Port Botany in Sydney.

According to NACOC, the principal suspect was arrested in Ghana earlier this week, while two additional suspects were apprehended on June 25.

The announcement was made by NACOC Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey during Ghana’s commemoration of the 2026 World Drug Day at the Kofi Ohene-Konadu Auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

Addressing participants under the global theme, “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” Brig. Gen. Mantey reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks.
“It is only God and the courts that can free you,” he warned drug traffickers, emphasizing that NACOC would continue pursuing offenders relentlessly.

The Director-General described the latest arrests as a major breakthrough in Ghana’s fight against transnational organised crime, noting that the Commission would intensify collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to disrupt drug supply chains.

Beyond the international drug bust, Brig. Gen. Mantey highlighted several milestones achieved by the Commission over the past year.

He disclosed that Ghana’s first mandatory drug screening exercise for recruits into the Police, Fire, Prisons and Immigration Services recorded more than 6,000 failures, representing approximately seven per cent of all applicants tested.

On enforcement, NACOC reported making 217 arrests, securing 165 prosecutions and seizing more than 8.5 tonnes of narcotics between 2025 and April 2026.

The seizures included 45.4 million tramadol tablets, which the Commission said would have been enough to provide one opioid dose for every Ghanaian.

The Director-General also announced significant government investments aimed at strengthening anti-narcotics operations.

He said NACOC’s district commands have expanded from fewer than ten to 77 nationwide, while a 100-acre parcel of land has been secured at Akwamu for the construction of a dedicated NACOC Training School.

He added that outdated scanners at Kotoka International Airport are scheduled to be replaced by August 2026 to improve cargo and passenger screening.

Despite the enforcement gains, Brig. Gen. Mantey expressed concern over Ghana’s growing treatment needs.

He revealed that only 1,179 people received treatment for drug dependence across 30 treatment centres in 2025, with nearly 86 per cent of beneficiaries aged between 20 and 44 years.

He called for the establishment of a National Rehabilitation Centre and expanded community-based treatment programmes to address substance use disorders.

The Director-General further highlighted Ghana’s growing regional leadership in combating drug trafficking, citing the November 2025 Accra Call to Action on Drug Markets in West Africa, which resulted in a landmark memorandum of understanding between NACOC and Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The agreement covers intelligence sharing, joint operations and anti-money laundering efforts.

Looking ahead, NACOC said it is partnering with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to complete Ghana’s first comprehensive national drug prevalence survey by the second quarter of 2027 and establish a National Early Warning System to monitor emerging synthetic drugs.

“This is World Drug Day. But for NACOC, every day is drug day. We do not rest. We do not relent.

And we will not stop until our communities are safe,” Brig. Gen. Mantey stated.