NACOC assures public of integrity in handling seized narcotics

The Deputy Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Twum Barima, has assured Ghanaians that the Commission's current leadership has the integrity and competence to properly handle intercepted narcotics, including cocaine.

On Wednesday, April 23, four individuals were arrested following the interception of a cargo shipment containing suspected cocaine by NACOC operatives.

The operation, which took place at Swissport, uncovered 73 slabs of a concealed substance believed to be cocaine.

The suspected narcotics, weighing approximately 89.74 kilograms, were reportedly being prepared for export to the Netherlands.

Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points on Saturday, April 26, Mr Barima dismissed public fears of potential tampering or mishandling of seized drugs, insisting that NACOC officials are "men of integrity" who will not compromise their duties.

“These are men of integrity, men who will not bend any curve. Under Mahama, you would not hear this cock and bull story that substances left our exhibit room, came back, and turned into something else,” he said.

He explained that intercepted drugs are securely kept in NACOC’s exhibit rooms until courts issue directives for their disposal. The narcotics, he added, are typically incinerated under strict supervision after legal proceedings conclude.

"You keep them until the matter comes to a close. If tomorrow you are asked to produce them as evidence, what do you do? So we keep them until the court gives further and better directives," Mr Barima said.

His comments followed concerns raised by private legal practitioner and NDC member, Abraham Amaliba, who demanded greater transparency from authorities on how seized drugs are handled.

“I think they need to tell us how these drugs are disposed of,” Mr Amaliba said during the same programme.

He warned against blind trust in institutional assurances, urging citizens to demand greater accountability and transparency, particularly in maritime operations.

“It’s about the state, and how state figures alone are not going to help,” he added, highlighting a persistent lack of institutional learning from past security lapses.

Mr Amaliba pointed to Ghana’s responsibility over its borders and called for stronger surveillance and intelligence-led operations to prevent future breaches.

“We are doing well in protecting our future, but sometimes operations are rushed due to capacity challenges. We must prevent that," he said.

He also questioned how previously intercepted consignments were handled, stressing the need for public transparency to build trust.