Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has forcefully debunked allegations connecting high-profile government protection details to a massive international drug bust. Official background checks have cleared suspects detained over a €225 million cocaine interception in France, finding zero evidence that any of the individuals belonged to the security teams of President John Dramani Mahama or Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
The controversy centers on a massive law enforcement action at the Port of Dunkirk, where French customs officials impounded roughly 3.9 metric tons of suspected cocaine hidden inside a shipping container filled with plastic waste originating from Ghana and headed for Belgium.
Addressing the public during an interview on JoyNews, NACOC Deputy Director-General Alexander Twum-Barimah outlined the findings of the agency’s intelligence investigations. He confirmed that routine screening and background checks are standard procedure for every suspect caught in high-value narcotics networks.
“The information gathered on the suspects did not establish any connection to the security details of President Mahama or the Vice President”, Alexander Twum-Barimah, said.
The intelligence report specifically corrected public narrative surrounding primary suspect Musah Attah, commonly known as “Kromo.” While rumors asserted Attah worked as a protective agent for executive leaders, official records confirm his actual background is in farming.
The political storm erupted after Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, publicly claimed that Attah was embedded within executive security operations. To support his assertion, the lawmaker circulated photographs showing Attah alongside both executive figures.
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NACOC pushed back against the inference, emphasizing two critical investigative points:
Independent Operational Command: The security details for the President and the Vice President function under distinct administrative units with dedicated, vetted personnel protocols.
Association vs. Employment: Public photo-ops or casual proximity do not constitute official employment, assignment, or clearance within executive detail rosters.
While multiple Ghanaian nationals arrested in connection with the illicit export have entered pleas of not guilty, NACOC continues to collaborate with international law enforcement partners to trace the wider syndicate behind the Dunkirk shipment.
By issuing this formal clarification, NACOC aims to decouple a complex criminal investigation from political speculation, ensuring public focus remains on dismantling the supply chain that allowed nearly four tonnes of narcotics to exit Ghanaian ports.