Ghana’s reputation on the international stage faces severe damage due to the involvement of high-profile figures and compromised state officials in the cocaine trade, security analyst Andrews Asiedu Tetteh has revealed.
Speaking on As It Is Ghana on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr Asiedu Tetteh lamented that drug trafficking in the country has evolved from small-scale smuggling into massive operations moving tonnes of cocaine. He described the situation as an organised criminal enterprise, pointing out that smugglers routinely pass through security checkpoints at the airport fully confident of escaping detection.
Highlighting a recent incident involving cocaine smuggled to Beirut, the analyst dismissed claims of a controlled delivery, arguing that the episode presented an ideal opportunity for Ghana to arrest those involved and clear its international standing. He called on the Narcotics Control Commission to provide further and better particulars on its handling of the case, describing the official reasons given for allowing the drug smugglers to pass through Ghanaian airspace as unacceptable.
Mr Asiedu Tetteh urged the government led by President John Dramani Mahama to prioritise the fight against cocaine trafficking. He stressed that Ghana possesses the necessary competence, logistics, and equipment to detect illicit substances, but operations continue to be undermined by compromised officials. He noted that beyond advanced detection machinery, security officers receive specialized training in behavioral profiling. The continuous smuggling of drugs through the country’s main airport, including instances where foreign security agencies have refused to share intelligence with Ghanaian authorities, points directly to internal compromise.
To break the network, the security expert suggested that if the situation poses a national security threat, authorities should consider coercive interrogation methods to compel arrested suspects to reveal the high-ranking figures funding the trade.
Exposing the deep-seated nature of the network, Mr Asiedu Tetteh stated: “Our officials do not want the identities of the top drug lords to be exposed because some ministers, chiefs, past presidents, politicians, and well-respected business people are involved. Our officials fail to reveal the top drug lords behind the business. It is a cartel. People currently in power, former presidents, top traditional rulers, and respected entrepreneurs are involved. The cocaine cartel business is not a small thing; it is not a joke.”
He further revealed that politicians from across the political spectrum are fully aware of the individuals behind the cartels. Whenever suspects are apprehended, influential figures intervene to collapse the cases and prevent suspects from naming their handlers, while those who attempt to expose the trade face deadly threats from the cartels.
“Both the NDC and NPP are involved in the cocaine dealings. Some of their members belong to the same cartels, while others belong to separate groups. I must repeat that some of these people are diplomats and chiefs who enjoy special privileges. Saying these things can sometimes trigger serious security concerns; however, it is the reality. The ones who usually make the noise and go public accusing each other may be the very ones involved. It doesn’t matter who is in power or in opposition—they only say these things to deceive us. The businessmen involved are known by the government, but authorities have refused to act,” he noted.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana