The Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has questioned Ghana’s airport security systems after 46.7 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine allegedly left the country and was intercepted in Lebanon.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker said the seizure at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport raises serious concerns about security checks at Accra International Airport and Ghana’s efforts to combat international drug trafficking.
His comments follow the arrest of a Syrian national on Saturday, October 31, after arriving from Accra with suspected cocaine concealed in two pieces of luggage.
In a social media post on Monday, November 2, Awuku demanded answers from the government over how such a quantity of suspected drugs could leave Ghana without being intercepted.
“How did such a substantial quantity of cocaine leave Kotoka International Airport? What happened to the security checks and intelligence systems that should have picked up a shipment of this nature?” he queried.
He also questioned whether Ghanaian security agencies had prior intelligence about the shipment and what role they played in the operation.
The concerns follow an earlier statement by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), which confirmed that the arrest resulted from a coordinated controlled delivery operation involving Ghanaian and Lebanese drug enforcement authorities.
NACOC said it was working to identify and arrest the suspect’s alleged accomplices in Ghana to dismantle the wider international drug trafficking network.
While acknowledging the Commission’s explanation, Awuku called for greater transparency regarding Ghana’s involvement in the operation and measures to strengthen airport security against drug trafficking.
The MP’s comments have renewed scrutiny of Ghana’s border controls, airport screening procedures and efforts to prevent the export of illicit drugs.
