The government has supplied the Narcotics Control Commission (Narcotics Control Commission) with mobile drug detection devices and initiated the replacement of body scanners at Accra International Airport as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s fight against drug trafficking.

The Director-General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, disclosed the development during the national commemoration of the 2026 World Drug Day in Accra.

According to him, the new equipment reflects government’s commitment to enhancing Ghana’s capacity to detect, intercept and prevent illicit drug trafficking both at borders and within the country.

“The government has provided mobile drug detectors to NACOC just yesterday and, in collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is undertaking the full replacement of the body intrusive scanners at the Accra International Airport,” Brig. Gen. Mantey stated.

He explained that the devices will improve operational efficiency by enabling rapid field testing of suspected narcotic substances while strengthening passenger screening at the country’s main international gateway.

The NACOC boss stressed that modern detection technology is increasingly necessary as drug trafficking networks adopt more sophisticated concealment and smuggling methods.

He added that the upgrade at Accra International Airport forms part of broader border security measures aimed at preventing drugs from being concealed on travellers entering or leaving the country.

Brig. Gen. Mantey noted that the partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling transnational organised crime and securing national borders.

He reaffirmed NACOC’s commitment to working with both local and international partners to ensure Ghana does not become a transit or destination hub for narcotics.

The announcement comes amid intensified anti-drug operations, following the recent dismantling of an international methamphetamine trafficking syndicate linked to a 320-kilogram drug shipment intercepted in Australia.