The Upper West Regional Command of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has intercepted two trucks transporting large quantities of unapproved and potentially dangerous substances at Kaleo in the Nadowli District.
The operation, conducted on Sunday, February 1, followed intelligence reports indicating that the vehicles were en route to neighbouring Burkina Faso.
In a statement dated February 23, 2026, NACOC confirmed that officers stopped two Rhino Kia trucks with registration numbers GS 5699-18 and GC 1871-11. A search of the vehicles uncovered 58 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 182 cartons of unapproved pharmaceutical products, and 40 drums of sodium cyanide.
“The Upper West Regional Command of the Narcotics Control Commission, acting on intelligence, has intercepted two Rhino Kia trucks loaded with various unapproved substances, including sodium cyanide, foreign cigarettes, and assorted pharmaceuticals at Kaleo in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region,” the statement said.
According to NACOC, the consignments were being transported without the necessary documentation or regulatory clearance and were intended for Burkina Faso. Officers had received prior information about the movement of the trucks before conducting the operation.
“On Sunday, 01 February 2026, officers of the Upper West Regional Command received intelligence about the two vehicles carrying the consignments and heading to Burkina Faso. A search conducted on the trucks revealed that they were transporting the items without documentation or approval,” the statement added.
The drivers and their assistants have been handed over to the Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and possible prosecution.
NACOC explained that the interception forms part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on the illegal movement of hazardous chemicals, unapproved medicines, and smuggled goods across Ghana’s northern borders, amid rising concerns over the misuse of restricted substances in the sub-region.
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