President John Dramani Mahama has received a preliminary report on investigations into a cocaine shipment originating from Ghana that was intercepted by French customs authorities in September.
Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Sarpong, disclosed this while appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
He said the President had established a team comprising various security agencies to investigate the incident and examine weaknesses in the systems used to monitor goods exported through Ghana’s ports.
According to Mr Sarpong, the team was initially given two weeks to complete its investigations, with a preliminary report submitted to the President last week.
“The report was presented to the President in terms of what the state of the investigation is, and what the recommendations are to be able to close all the gaps substantially,” he said.
Mr Sarpong expressed optimism that the findings would guide policy decisions and investments aimed at improving security at Ghana’s ports and other entry points.
He said the measures would focus on identifying and addressing loopholes that could allow illegal consignments to leave the country without detection.
French customs officials seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the northern French port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026.
The consignment, with an estimated street value of €225 million, was discovered concealed in a container carrying plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana. Part of the shipment was reportedly intended for Antwerp, Belgium.
In the aftermath of the seizure, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) announced the arrest of three suspects over their alleged links to the shipment.
The commission said the suspects were allegedly involved in representing and facilitating the activities of Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos”, in Ghana.
Investigations are expected to help establish how the shipment passed through Ghana’s export controls and what additional measures may be required to prevent similar incidents.
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