Three foreign nationals, identified as a Syrian, a Tunisian and a Lebanese, have been arrested in Ghana following the seizure of 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon.
The arrests are linked to ongoing investigations into the transportation of the cocaine consignment from Accra to Beirut, as authorities work to trace other suspected members of the international drug trafficking network.
JoyNews sources indicate that the three suspects, comprising two men and a woman, were arrested in separate operations on Tuesday, November 3.
Two of them were picked up earlier in the day in Accra, while the third was arrested at about 5 p.m.
The arrests were carried out by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) following intelligence provided by Lebanese law enforcement authorities.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the suspects’ alleged roles in the cocaine shipment and their possible links to the wider international drug trafficking network.
Cocaine Hidden in Two Pieces of Luggage
The arrests follow the detention of a Syrian national at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Saturday, October 31, after he arrived from Accra with cocaine concealed in two pieces of luggage.
According to Lebanese Customs authorities, officers uncovered 40 packages containing a total of 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine during a search of the passenger’s luggage.
The cocaine was allegedly concealed using sophisticated packaging and insulation materials designed to avoid detection by airport scanning equipment. Electronic tracking devices were also discovered among the packages.
Lebanese authorities described the seizure as the largest drug interception in the history of the airport. Preliminary investigations suggested that the suspect had entered Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing from Syria several weeks earlier before travelling to Accra and subsequently returning with the cocaine consignment.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to establish the intended recipient of the cocaine and identify individuals suspected of organising and facilitating its transportation.
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has indicated that the arrests in Ghana followed a coordinated controlled-delivery operation involving drug enforcement agencies in Ghana and Lebanon.
In a statement dated November 1, the commission said the operation was aimed at identifying and arresting individuals involved at different stages of the supply chain, while gathering intelligence to dismantle the broader international drug trafficking network.
NACOC added that efforts were ongoing to track down other suspected accomplices operating in Ghana.
