Four officers of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Customs Division are among 10 individuals being held as investigations continue into recent narcotics trafficking cases linked to Ghana.
Their detention was disclosed after President John Dramani Mahama met with the country’s security chiefs on Thursday, September 17, to receive a briefing on investigations into the trafficking of narcotic drugs through Ghana’s ports.
The meeting comes amid heightened scrutiny of Ghana’s ports following the seizure in France of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container carrying plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana. The shipment was valued at about €225 million.
According to the Presidency, the President was informed that the 10 individuals, including the four Customs officers, are being held while investigations continue.
“The President was informed that ten (10) individuals, including four officers of the Customs Division of the GRA are being held while investigations continue,” the statement said.
The identities of the four officers and the specific allegations being investigated against them have not been disclosed.
The latest development has placed renewed attention on Ghana’s port security and the processes through which cargo is inspected and cleared before leaving the country.
Four Ghanaians have been charged in connection with the €225 million cocaine shipment and remanded as investigations into the case continue.
Meanwhile, President Mahama has directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop measures to prevent narcotics trafficking through Ghana’s borders.
The task force has two weeks to submit a detailed roadmap to the President.
“President Mahama directed that an inter-agency task force be formed to present a detailed roadmap, emanating from today’s meeting, on measures to prevent the trafficking of drugs through Ghana’s borders in two weeks,” the statement said.
