NACOC exclusion from routine sea port checks contributing to rising cocaine trafficking – Akwatia MP

Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has attributed the increasing seizure of cocaine consignments shipped from Ghana to the exclusion of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) from routine checks at the country’s ports.

The NPP legislator's comments follow the seizure of 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine by French customs authorities from a container shipped from Ghana.

French customs seized the consignment at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10. The suspected cocaine, concealed in a container carrying plastic waste, was reportedly valued at about €225 million.

The Narcotics Control Commission has said suspects arrested in connection with the seizure had been under surveillance for between one and two years.

However, speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr Baidoo said the intelligence-led nature of the investigation did not address what he described as a broader vulnerability at Ghana’s ports.

He linked the situation to a directive issued in 2018 following a meeting convened by then Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, which he said resulted in reduced levels of checks and the exclusion of NACOC from routine port inspections.

“I know what you are saying that they said they've been on their radar and then all that, and I'm saying that that is consistent with their current whatever before that because what they do is intelligence-led, they claim they have information about them and that is consistent. I am only saying that generally our ports are porous currently because… I'm saying that is blamable to 2018 because since 2018 we've not had the Narcotic Control Commission as well as the national security being part of routine checks so if they are not part of routine checks and then they are also not given information, surely the thing will pass.”

Mr Baidoo argued on Saturday, September 19, that NACOC’s specialised expertise was necessary alongside the scanning and inspection functions performed by other agencies at the ports.

When asked whether his argument implied that officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) conducting scanning operations were incapable of detecting narcotics, the MP said the different agencies had distinct areas of expertise.

“Per what you are saying there may as well collapse NACOC if others can do what they do. They have the expertise you remember. If you follow through the discussion, it's been said that there were issues raised about the content in the container, but for whatever reason it was allowed to pass. Is that not the case?”

He maintained that the presence of NACOC as part of routine checks could strengthen the country’s efforts to prevent narcotics from being trafficked through its ports.

“So I would think that if NACOC was part of the permanent routine, it would not have been allowed,” he said.

The comments come as Ghana faces renewed scrutiny over the movement of large quantities of narcotics through its maritime and cargo networks following the latest seizure in France.

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop a detailed roadmap to prevent drug trafficking through Ghana’s borders.

The task force has been given two weeks to submit its roadmap following an urgent meeting chaired by President Mahama with security chiefs on Thursday, September 17.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.