Ghana’s growing drug trafficking links are deeply troubling – Victoria Bright

International corporate lawyer and entrepreneur says the growing number of drug trafficking cases linked to Ghana is deeply troubling and requires urgent national attention.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, she said the scale and frequency of recent seizures suggest that Ghana’s involvement in international drug trafficking may extend beyond isolated incidents.

“The scale and the frequency of these recent seizures, well in the last year, linked to Ghana, are extremely troubling,” she said.

Ms Bright said the consignments have been detected through different channels, including commercial containers, road transport and passenger aviation, with some of the largest shipments intercepted after leaving Ghana.

She cited figures from a German research analyst indicating that 28 drug busts were recorded between March 2025 and September 2026, 11 of which involved cocaine.

According to the figures she referenced, about 16 tonnes of Ghana-linked cocaine, with an estimated street value of $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion, were intercepted during the period.

Ms Bright said the figures are particularly concerning because Ghana does not produce cocaine. “We don’t produce cocaine in this country, and those cocaine figures are particularly striking.”

She said seven of the 11 cocaine seizures were made in Ghana, while four were intercepted abroad.

By weight, she said approximately 3.6 tonnes were intercepted in Ghana compared with about 4.4 tonnes intercepted in Europe, raising questions about the quantity of drugs that may be passing through the country undetected.

Ms Bright also cited several methods allegedly used to conceal the drugs, including consignments hidden beneath sand in a cement truck at Cape Coast, inside wood shipments bound for Europe and in cassava flour.

She said the emerging pattern should compel authorities to investigate the broader networks behind the trade.

“This is something that should command our utmost attention.”