Catholic Bishops Demand Crackdown On Drug Trafficking

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has called for a nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, expressing concern over the increasing narcotics threat to the country's security, institutions, families, and youth. The bishops highlighted the seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at Dunkirk, France on September 10, 2026, with an estimated street value of €225 million, concealed in a container of plastic waste originating from Ghana.

Four Ghanaians were arraigned before the High Court in Accra on charges of conspiracy to export narcotic drugs without a licence and exporting narcotics. The Bishops emphasized that the accused remain presumed innocent until proven guilty and urged thorough investigations into how the consignment passed through legitimate commercial channels.

They noted a pattern of drug trafficking incidents linked to Ghana, referencing several major interceptions since March 2025 and a parliamentary memorandum from September 18, 2026, citing cocaine seizures at Pedu Junction, Tema Port, and other locations, with seizures exceeding $1 billion in value over the past two years. The bishops also expressed concern over the involvement of public officials in alleged narcotics-related activities and called for investigations to identify financiers, principal traffickers, and networks behind the trade.

They appealed for strengthened collaboration among law enforcement agencies, improved scanning and surveillance systems, enhanced cooperation with international bodies, and investigations that follow the money. The Conference emphasized the drug menace as a moral and social crisis requiring collective action, urging investment in drug-prevention education, rehabilitation, and treatment, particularly for young people, and calling for a response rooted in human dignity.