The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has destroyed seized narcotic substances valued at more than US$10 million at Bundase, effectively removing a significant quantity of illegal drugs from circulation. The destroyed consignment comprised millions of synthetic opioid tablets and capsules, thousands of bottles of codeine-based cough mixture and hundreds of kilogrammes of cannabis confiscated during various anti-drug operations.
Synthetic opioids constituted the largest portion of the seized substances, with 4,730,100 capsules and tablets valued at approximately US$5.9 million. The exercise also involved the destruction of 338,000 bottles of codeine-infused cough mixture estimated at US$4.2 million, as well as 564.39 kilogrammes of cannabis with an estimated street value of US$112,878.
Ahead of the destruction exercise, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) conducted verification tests to establish the nature of the substances. The tests confirmed the presence of cannabis in the samples examined. The exercise comes amid renewed concerns over Ghana’s alleged involvement in international drug trafficking, particularly following the recent seizure of suspected narcotics in Lebanon involving a consignment reportedly linked to Ghana.
Addressing the issue, NACOC Director-General, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to combat drug trafficking, insisting that the Lebanon incident should not be interpreted as a failure of the institution.
He acknowledged the challenges associated with tackling the narcotics trade but stressed that they would not weaken the Commission’s resolve to carry out its mandate.
Major General Mantey assured the public that NACOC would intensify its operations and strengthen measures to disrupt the activities of drug traffickers. The destruction exercise forms part of efforts to ensure that confiscated narcotic substances do not find their way back into circulation, thereby preventing further harm to individuals and society.
