Four GRA Customs officers among 10 detained over €225m cocaine shipment

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.

The development was contained in a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, following President John Dramani Mahama’s meeting with security chiefs on Thursday, September 17.

The meeting was held to review investigations into the recent trafficking of narcotic drugs through Ghana’s ports, amid growing scrutiny of the country’s role in international drug trafficking.

According to the statement, the President was informed that 10 people, including the four Customs officers, are currently being held.

“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 Presidency did not name the four officers or disclose the specific allegations being investigated against them.

Their detention comes in the wake of the seizure in France of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine valued at about €225 million from a container that had arrived from Ghana. The cocaine was concealed in a shipment of plastic waste.

Four Ghanaians have since been charged and remanded in connection with the shipment.

The €225 million cocaine case has renewed attention on the systems used to inspect and clear cargo through Ghana’s ports, particularly the effectiveness of controls designed to prevent illicit consignments from leaving the country.

Against this backdrop, President Mahama has directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop measures to strengthen the fight against narcotics trafficking through Ghana’s borders.

The task force has been given 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.