A 46-year-old Ghanaian woman is in the custody of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) after she was apprehended at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) for attempting to traffic cannabis through the cargo terminal.
The arrest took place late Tuesday night at the Swissport consolidated cargo section of the airport.
According to a deep throat within NACOC, the suspect was arrested following a targeted operation based on actionable intelligence.
Officials say the intercepted cargo, which was consigned to the suspect, had been flagged for inspection. During the search, NACOC operatives uncovered 30 compressed slabs of what was later confirmed to be cannabis.
The illicit substance, weighing approximately 16.4 kilograms, was concealed within a shipment of personal effects — a method authorities say is commonly used by traffickers to evade detection.
“The suspect was taken into custody at the scene and is currently assisting investigators with further inquiries,” a NACOC source revealed under condition of anonymity. “The narcotic exhibits have been secured and forwarded to the agency’s forensic laboratory for detailed analysis.”
Authorities have not yet released the name of the suspect, pending further investigations. However, they confirmed that she is a Ghanaian national and was believed to be working with a network that attempts to export illegal drugs using commercial freight services.
The seizure forms part of NACOC’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking activities through Ghana’s ports and airports. The Commission has intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations in recent months to disrupt the activities of both local and international drug trafficking syndicates.
Cannabis remains a controlled substance under Ghanaian law, and the possession, trafficking, or export without lawful authority carries severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms.
NACOC has urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities related to drug trafficking, emphasizing that community cooperation is essential to winning the fight against narcotics.
