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Four Arrested, Two at Large in $350 Million Cocaine Bust – Interior Minister Updates Parliament

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Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has disclosed that four individuals have been arrested and granted bail in connection with the seizure of 3.3 tonnes of cocaine intercepted in Cape Coast earlier this year. Two additional suspects remain at large as investigations continue into what has been described as one of the country’s biggest drug hauls.

Speaking before Parliament on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the Minister provided fresh updates on the case, which traces back to a high-stakes intelligence-led operation by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in March. The operation led to the interception of a tipper truck at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast. Upon inspection, security operatives uncovered 143 sacks of cocaine concealed beneath layers of sand. The illicit consignment is estimated to be worth approximately $350 million on the international market.

“It has to be mentioned that apart from the driver and his assistant, four other individuals were subsequently arrested and granted bail,” the Minister told Parliament. “Two prime suspects are, however, at large. Efforts are ongoing to arrest them. The next court hearing of the matter is scheduled to take place on July 24, 2025.”

According to the Minister, government remains resolute in the fight against drug trafficking, describing the March bust as a testament to Ghana’s evolving intelligence and enforcement capabilities.

In a related development, the seized cocaine was destroyed on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, under tight security and judicial oversight. The destruction followed confirmatory tests conducted in the presence of the trial judge, state attorneys, and representatives from the NIB and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC). The court-sanctioned disposal was carried out in accordance with legal procedures governing narcotic evidence management.

The operation and subsequent judicial processes underscore the rising collaboration between Ghana’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies in addressing transnational organized crime.

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