Government has supplied the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) with mobile drug detection devices and is replacing body intrusive scanners at Kotoka International Airport as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s fight against drug trafficking.

Director-General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, announced the development during the national commemoration of the 2026 World Drug Day in Accra.

According to him, the acquisition of the mobile drug detectors and the ongoing airport security upgrade demonstrate the government’s commitment to enhancing Ghana’s capacity to detect and prevent illicit drug trafficking.

“The government has provided mobile drug detectors to NACOC just yesterday and, in collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is undertaking the full replacement of the body intrusive scanners at the Accra International Airport,” Brig. Gen. Mantey stated.

He explained that the new equipment would significantly improve the Commission’s operational efficiency by enabling officers to conduct rapid field testing of suspected narcotic substances while strengthening passenger screening at the country’s main international gateway.

The Director-General noted that modern detection technology is critical in combating increasingly sophisticated drug trafficking methods employed by international criminal networks.

The replacement of the body scanners at Kotoka International Airport forms part of broader measures to tighten border security and improve the detection of drugs concealed on travellers.

Brig. Gen. Mantey said the collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands reflects the importance of international partnerships in addressing transnational organised crime and protecting borders against illicit drug trafficking.

He reaffirmed NACOC’s commitment to working with local and international partners to safeguard Ghana from becoming a transit or destination country for narcotics.

The announcement comes as NACOC intensifies its anti-drug operations following the recent dismantling of an international methamphetamine trafficking syndicate linked to a 320-kilogram drug shipment intercepted in Australia.

The Commission says the deployment of advanced detection equipment, coupled with enhanced intelligence and international cooperation, will further strengthen Ghana’s ability to intercept illicit drugs and prosecute traffickers.