Ghana Interior Minister reports cannabis traffickers using ambulances and bullion vans

Ghanaian Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka has reported that cannabis traffickers are increasingly using ambulances and bullion vans to transport illegal substances. He noted that security agencies have received intelligence regarding vehicles associated with legitimate services being used to conceal drugs.

To combat illegal cultivation, the government is intensifying operations, including the destruction of cannabis farms and intelligence-led arrests. Muntaka highlighted a historical lack of specialized narcotics detection equipment in the country, noting that security personnel previously had to rely on physical inspections.

Simultaneously, the Minister is encouraging illegal growers to transition into the legal economy by forming cooperatives. Under Ghana’s regulatory framework, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) can work with these cooperatives to facilitate the cultivation of approved industrial or medicinal cannabis. To remain legal, these varieties must maintain a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of no more than 0.3 per cent on a dry-weight basis. Recreational cannabis use remains prohibited.