1,195 boxes of tramadol intercepted in North East Region, six arrested

The North East Regional Police Command, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in Nalerigu, has intercepted a major consignment of Tramadol Hydrochloride. The operation led to the arrest of six suspects at Gbintri near Nalerigu.

The operation, conducted on September 18, 2025, uncovered 1,195 boxes of Tramadol Hydrochloride 120mg, popularly referred to as “Red.” The restricted pharmaceutical drug was discovered concealed in a truck during a coordinated security exercise.

The suspects have been identified as Alhassan Braimah, Yakubu Muntaka, Abdulai Shakur, Mumuni Iddrisu, Mumuni Yakubu, and Moses Ayorik. They were apprehended after two trucks, with registration numbers GR 1712-16 and AW 4417-14, were intercepted. According to police, the vehicles had been loaded from Sankase in the Republic of Togo and were en route to Gbintri.

A thorough search of the trucks revealed the concealed consignment among other goods in one of the vehicles with registration number GR 1712-16. The seized drugs have since been secured as evidence.

During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that the consignment was intended for Moses Ayorik in Gbintri, who was to facilitate its onward delivery to another individual in Gushegu.

All six individuals are currently in police custody, assisting with investigations, while authorities continue efforts to trace and arrest other persons connected to the trafficking network.

The North East Regional Police Command, in a statement signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Robert Anabiik Anmain of the Public Affairs Unit, reiterated its commitment to tackling the illegal drug trade and safeguarding public safety. The public has been encouraged to report suspicious activities and support law enforcement efforts in curbing the spread of illicit drugs in the region.

However, the Mental Health Authority (MHA) has sounded the alarm over a sharp 40% increase in suicide deaths recorded in 2024.

It described the situation as a growing national crisis that demands urgent policy interventions and stronger community action.

Speaking at the World Suicide Prevention Day commemoration in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Dr. Eugene Dordoye, said the rise in suicide cases—especially among young people—highlights the urgent need for comprehensive interventions.

According to the Mental Health Authority, suicide-related deaths in 2023 stood at 134, but that figure jumped significantly in 2024. “The reported lives lost in 2023 were about 134. But we know that for every life lost, three to five times more people attempt. And for every attempt, up to 10 people are affected by it,” Dr. Dordoye explained.