Ghana to install new drug detection scanners at Accra International Airport in August

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has announced that new drug detection technology will be installed at the Accra International Airport beginning in August 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana's fight against drug trafficking.

The initiative comes in the wake of increased enforcement operations, including the recent arrest of a suspected drug kingpin connected to the interception of approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a charcoal shipment from Ghana and seized by authorities in Australia.

Speaking during the 2026 World Drug Day celebration in Accra on Friday, June 26, NACOC Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey warned that Ghana is no longer serving only as a transit route for illegal drugs but is increasingly becoming a distribution centre.

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He disclosed that the Government of Ghana had supplied NACOC with mobile drug detection scanners on Thursday, June 25, while the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is supporting the replacement of outdated screening equipment at the country's main international airport.

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Brigadier General Mantey also highlighted efforts to expand NACOC's operational capacity across the country. He said the Commission's district operational commands have increased from fewer than 10 to 77, giving the agency a presence in all 16 regions.

He further revealed that NACOC has secured a 100-acre parcel of land in the Akwamu Traditional Area to establish a dedicated training school for narcotics officers.

Describing the project as a significant investment in the Commission's future, he said, “This is a landmark investment in the next generation of narcotics professionals, and that is why I am interested in my students.”