In a significant blow to illicit drug trafficking, nine public officials have been arrested following the interception of 146,932,000 tablets of undeclared Tramadol at the Tema Port.
The operation, led by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), uncovered the massive consignment—weighing over 34,800 kilograms—concealed within a container originating from the United Arab Emirates.
The seizure was the result of high-level intelligence gathered by the Customs Preventive wing. The container (TGHU6228715) was officially declared as carrying everyday household items, including:
Water kettles and kitchen blenders
Pressing irons and energy-saving bulbs
Polypropylene materials
However, during a joint re-examination on March 1, 2026, authorities discovered 299 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride (250mg and 225mg) hidden behind the declared goods.
The crackdown has implicated several high-ranking regulatory and security personnel. The nine suspects currently on police inquiry bail include:
Five Customs officers
One officer from the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC)
One Port Security officer
One Energy Commission officer
One Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) officer
”The GRA remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding national security and protecting public health,” the Authority stated in a press release.
Both the importer and the declarant have been detained and handed over to the police for further interrogation. The seized drugs, which far exceed the legally permitted dosage for the Ghanaian market, remain under strict Customs control.
This bust marks one of the largest pharmaceutical seizures in the port’s history, highlighting a renewed vigor in Ghana’s border management and its fight against the opioid crisis.
By Eben Agyekum-Boateng, Business
