Meta Description: NACOC Director-General Maxwell Obuba Mantey warns that suspected drug traffickers in Ghana are exploiting airport security loopholes, insider access and scanners to evade detection.
NACOC Raises Alarm Over Drug Trafficking at Ghana’s Airports
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has raised concerns about security weaknesses at Ghana’s airports, revealing that suspected drug traffickers are allegedly acquiring scanners and exploiting insider access to bypass screening procedures.
NACOC Director-General Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey disclosed this when he appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on October 20, 2026, to respond to findings from the Auditor-General’s report.
He explained that some suspected traffickers were finding ways to outsmart airport security systems, while compromised security personnel could create opportunities for illegal drugs to pass through screening checkpoints undetected.
Airport Security Officers Allegedly Bypassing Screening
Brigadier General Mantey cited an incident involving a supervisory security officer who allegedly entered an airport with a bag and bypassed the designated screening point.
According to his account, the officer went to a washroom, changed with a bag reportedly associated with a traveller, and continued towards a flight.
He also disclosed that NACOC was investigating a separate case involving an unidentified suspected drug trafficker who had allegedly purchased a scanner to examine how suspected narcotics appeared during scanning.
The NACOC chief did not reveal the identity of the individual involved in the investigation.
Government Moves to Strengthen Airport Security
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak told the committee that weaknesses in airport screening procedures could be exploited when security personnel failed to follow established controls or compromised their responsibilities.
He said the government was working to strengthen security technology and improve intelligence-sharing among law enforcement agencies to reduce excessive reliance on manual inspections.
The measures are intended to improve drug detection, close security loopholes and strengthen efforts to combat narcotics trafficking through Ghana’s airports and other entry points.
The disclosures have renewed attention on airport security, internal accountability and the need for stronger monitoring systems to prevent illegal drugs from entering or leaving the country undetected.
Source: newsthemegh.com