In a major crackdown on drug trafficking at the Tema Port, nine public officials have been arrested in connection with the seizure of a massive, undeclared consignment of Tramadol.
The suspects have been granted police inquiry bail as investigations continue.
The arrested individuals include five officers from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and one officer each from the Narcotics Control Commission, the Port Security Unit, the Energy Commission, and the Ghana Standards Authority.
The operation was triggered after the Customs Division, acting on intelligence from its Preventive Unit, flagged a suspicious container for inspection.
The container, numbered TGHU6228715, was transferred to a Customs-controlled area in Tema on February 26, 2026, for a thorough examination.
The shipment, imported from the United Arab Emirates, was declared on Bill of Entry 40226151187 as containing assorted household items, including 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 concealed among the legitimate goods.
In total, 299 cartons were found, containing a staggering 146,932,000 tablets in 250mg and 225mg strengths.
The total weight of the illicit consignment is estimated at 34,847.2 kilogrammes. Crucially, the drugs were not declared in any of the import documentation.
The importer and declarant of the consignment have been handed over to the police to assist with investigations. The seized items remain in the custody of the Customs Division.
The GRA has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting national security, safeguarding public health, and preserving the integrity of Ghana’s revenue and border management systems.