Security think tank, Jatikay Centre, has expressed outrage over the arrest of a Syrian national at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon carrying 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine from Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The haul, described as the largest drug seizure in the Lebanese airport’s history, has sparked severe criticism regarding the efficiency of Ghana’s narcotics enforcement and border control systems.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s flagship news bulletin, Nyankonton Mu Nsem, Executive Director of the Jatikay Centre, Adib Saani, questioned the narrative presented by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), which claimed the arrest was the result of a joint controlled delivery operation.
“We find this explanation deeply unsatisfactory and potentially a damage control measure,” Mr Saani stated. “If NACOC knew about the cocaine shipment, why was the suspect allowed to depart Accra with such a substantial quantity of narcotics? Controlled deliveries are legitimate law enforcement techniques, but invoking the term should not become a convenient excuse for operational failures.”
The security analyst further highlighted key discrepancies in official accounts, pointing out that Lebanese authorities initially credited their own Customs and General Security agencies without mentioning Ghanaian involvement, alongside a notable variance between the 40 kilogrammes reported by NACOC and the 46.7 kilogrammes cited in Beirut.
“Ghana is increasingly at risk of acquiring international notoriety as an attractive transit point for drug trafficking syndicates,” he warned. “We cannot continue tolerating a situation where foreign security agencies intercept massive drug shipments departing Ghana while our institutions issue public relations statements instead of providing convincing answers.”
Calling for immediate investigations and sanctions against any compromised officials, Mr Saani insisted that heads must roll to restore international confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
