Beirut cocaine: Lebanese security team due in Ghana as NDC rejects calls for sackings

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana has apprehended three foreign nationals, a Syrian, a Tunisian, and a Lebanese, in connection with a significant cocaine seizure in Accra. The arrests occurred on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as part of an international joint operation with Lebanese drug enforcement agencies. The suspects, who include two men and a woman, are currently under custody, providing crucial information about their alleged connections to an international drug trafficking network.

The operation commenced on Saturday, October 31, 2026, when a Syrian traveler from Accra was intercepted at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanese customs officers found 40 packages of cocaine concealed within two checked bags. The packages were ingeniously concealed using specialized insulation materials and packed to avoid detection by airport security systems.

Additionally, the bags were equipped with electronic tracking devices to monitor the shipment in real-time, a tactic employed to avoid interception.

Upon learning of the considerable seizure, initial concerns arose in Ghana regarding the security protocols at Accra International Airport. There were fears that such a large quantity of cocaine could have evaded local security checks. However, NACOC clarified that the suspect’s departure from Accra was part of a controlled delivery operation, designed to monitor and assist in the tracking of the trafficking network.

This operation allowed Ghanaian and Lebanese intelligence agencies to closely follow the supply chain at both ends, leading to the identification of the suspects in Accra within less than three days.

The joint investigation is ongoing, and authorities have decided to withhold the suspects' identities until formal charges are filed. The case highlights the sophistication and scale of international drug trafficking operations and underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating drug crimes.