The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested the suspected leader of a drug trafficking organisation associated with the confiscation of approximately 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden within a charcoal shipment from Ghana, which was intercepted in Australia.
This arrest signifies a significant advancement in the investigations initiated after Australian authorities revealed on June 19 that they had intercepted the drugs, estimated to be worth A$296 million, before they arrived in the country’s illegal market.
During NACOC’s annual drug destruction event in Accra on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey stated that the suspect was apprehended following a three-month intelligence-driven operation involving NACOC, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and various other national security agencies.
“This afternoon, we will be picking more,” Brig. Gen. Mantey remarked, suggesting that further arrests are anticipated as investigators work to dismantle the network.
He noted that the officers involved in the operation dedicated months to gathering intelligence and conducting surveillance prior to the arrest.
The commission has not revealed the suspect’s identity, nationality, or any additional details.
This case originates from the interception of a shipment that was declared as bags of charcoal exported from Ghana, but was discovered to contain around 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine.
Australian authorities have charged three individuals in relation to the case, which includes British national Emaa Hussen, 34, and an Australian couple.
The suspects appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in May and were remanded in custody until September 2026.
NACOC confirmed the seizure in Australia last week and announced that it had commenced collaboration with domestic security agencies and international partners to trace and apprehend individuals associated with the operation in Ghana.
Brig. Gen. Mantey pledged that all individuals involved in the trafficking network would be pursued, irrespective of their status or institutional connections.
“Wherever we are, we get information. It is only God and the courts that can free you,” he stated.
He also cautioned that members of the security services would not be exempt from investigations if intelligence implicated them in the case.
“You are a member of the security agency, wherever you come from. If your name is mentioned, we suspect anything based on our intelligence. Rest assured, action will follow,” he remarked.
This development coincided with NACOC’s destruction of over 9.6 tonnes of seized narcotic drugs as part of a court-authorised disposal process.
According to the commission, samples of the drugs were tested by the Ghana Standards Authority both before and after court approval to ensure the integrity of the exhibits and prevent tampering.
Brig. Gen. Mantey indicated that NACOC was also enhancing preventive measures through public education and awareness campaigns aimed at discouraging drug use, particularly among the youth.
He urged the media to continue supporting initiatives to combat drug abuse and trafficking through ongoing public education.
