The cocaine bust amounting $350 million has been scheduled for destruction

The Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has called for a transparent process in the destruction of the $350 million worth of cocaine, intercepted by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) on March 4, 2025.

Reacting to the court’s order on the destruction of the substance after it tested positive for cocaine, Kwasi Prempeh expressed the view that the destruction should be carried out publicly so that every citizen can witness it.

He added that the bust and subsequent destruction of the narcotic substance scheduled for June 20, 2025, should be treated as a national security matter.

He argued that the magnitude of the issue requires that it is treated with all seriousness and in a transparent manner.

He, therefore, suggested a public announcement be made in advance to detail when the process will be carried out, so that those who want to witness the process can adequately prepare to observe it in real time.

“Seriously! Please, where is the haul being kept? The destruction must be done in full glare of the public, with the time and location of the event announced in advance. Another test to confirm the contents as cocaine must be conducted at the destruction site for all to see before the destruction,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday, June 5, 2025.

He asserted that such transparency would prevent an attempt by unscrupulous individuals to recycle the substance and export it without the knowledge of the authorities.

“This is a national security matter. Zero tolerance for domestic "recycling" or re-export,” he added.

His comments come in the wake of a directive by the Accra High Court, ordering the destruction of the 3,319.66-kilogram (3.3-tonne) haul of cocaine, valued at approximately $350 million, on June 20, 2025.

The seizure, confirmed as the largest cocaine bust in Ghana’s history, involved cocaine concealed in a tipper truck impounded at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast, Central Region, while en route to Accra from the Western Region.

The cocaine, hidden in 143 sacks beneath heaps of sand, was initially seized on March 4, 2025, weighing 2,974 kilograms.

Subsequent intelligence-led operations on March 8 led NIB officers to a suspect’s residence, where an additional 13 sacks and one bag totaling 345.07 kilograms were recovered.

According to a report by Graphic Online, laboratory tests conducted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) confirmed the substance as high-purity cocaine, with purity levels ranging from 50% to 70%.

A presumptive cobalt thiocyanate test was conducted on June 4, in the presence of trial judge Justice Ruby Aryeetey, state and defense attorneys, as well as personnel from the NIB and NACOC.

The test, which involved random sampling from three of the 2,970 slabs, verified the substance as cocaine

The court’s order for inspection, testing, and destruction paves the way for the disposal of the seized cocaine, with samples retained for the ongoing trial, which has been adjourned to June 24, 2025.

Three suspects are currently standing trial for allegedly importing drugs without lawful authority and engaging in prohibited narcotic business.

They include the tipper truck driver, Isaac Quaicoo (39), his mate, Kenneth Cobbinah (25), a tertiary student, and Mawuku Kudufia.

MAG/VPO

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