Nine public officials have been arrested following the interception of a massive, undeclared consignment of Tramadol in an operation at the Tema Port.
The suspects have been granted Police enquiry bail as investigations continue.
The arrested individuals comprise five officers from the Customs Division, and one officer each from the Narcotics Control Commission, the Port Security unit, the Energy Commission, and the Standards Authority.
The operation was initiated after the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), acting on intelligence from its Preventive wing, detained a suspicious container.
The container, numbered TGHU6228715, was moved to a Customs-controlled area in Tema on February 26, 2026, for a thorough examination.
The shipment, which originated from the United Arab Emirates, was declared on Bill of Entry 40226151187 as containing assorted household items such as water kettles, kitchen blenders, pressing irons, energy-saving bulbs, and polypropylene material.
However, a joint re-examination conducted on March 1, 2026, by Customs officers and the Central Revenue Monitoring Team uncovered a large quantity of Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets cleverly concealed among the legitimate goods.
In total, 299 cartons were discovered, containing a staggering 146,932,000 tablets in 250mg and 225mg strengths.
The total weight of the illicit drug consignment is estimated at 34,847.2 kilogrammes. Critically, these drugs were not declared in any of the import documentation.
The importer and the declarant of the consignment have been handed over to the Police to assist with the ongoing investigation. The seized consignment remains under the control of the Customs Division.
The GRA has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting national security, safeguarding public health, and maintaining the integrity of Ghana’s revenue and border management systems.
