The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has announced that new drug detection scanners will be deployed at the Accra International Airport from August 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s fight against drug trafficking.
The new system, jointly funded by the Governments of Ghana and the Netherlands, comes amid intensified anti-narcotics operations, including the recent arrest of an alleged kingpin linked to the seizure of about 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a charcoal shipment intercepted in Australia.
Speaking during the 2026 World Drug Day celebration in Accra on Friday, June 26, NACOC Director-General, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said the new equipment will replace body and baggage scanners that have been out of service for more than three years.
“The Government of Ghana has provided mobile drug detection scanners to NACOC just yesterday [June 25]. And in collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it is undertaking the full replacement of the body and baggage intrusive scanners at the Accra International Airport, which have been non-operational for over three years,” he said.
He expressed concern that Ghana is increasingly becoming not only a transit point but also a distribution hub for illicit drugs.
Brigadier General Mantey also revealed that NACOC has expanded its district operational commands from fewer than 10 to 77 across all 16 regions, significantly boosting its nationwide presence.
In addition, the Commission has received 27 operational vehicles to support field operations and secured a 100-acre parcel of land in the Akwamu Traditional Area for the construction of a dedicated NACOC training school.
He described the planned training facility as a major investment in developing the next generation of narcotics enforcement professionals.
