Ghana Interior Ministry defends cross-border drug investigations

Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior has defended its strategy of allowing drug trafficking investigations to extend beyond national borders, stating the objective is to dismantle entire criminal networks rather than making local arrests.

Speaking on JoyNews, Ministry Press Secretary Julius Kwame Anthony explained that authorities often collaborate with international partners to identify the full scope of trafficking chains. He cited a 2022 precedent where Ghanaian authorities permitted suspects to travel through Kotoka International Airport to facilitate their arrest in the United Kingdom, which allowed investigators to gather more comprehensive evidence against the wider network.

These comments follow the recent arrest of a Syrian national at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon. The individual allegedly traveled from Accra with approximately 40 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed in luggage, an incident confirmed by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).