The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana has arrested three foreign nationals linked to a record-breaking cocaine seizure at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport.
The suspects, a woman and two men of Syrian, Tunisian, and Lebanese nationalities, were apprehended in separate, intelligence-led operations in Accra on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Their arrests were the result of swift information sharing between Ghanaian and Lebanese law enforcement agencies.
It all began on Saturday, October 31, when Lebanese Customs officers at Rafic Hariri International Airport made a startling discovery. Acting on a tip, they stopped a Syrian national who had just arrived from Accra aboard a Middle East Airlines flight. Inside two seemingly ordinary suitcases, officers uncovered 40 packages ingeniously concealed with sophisticated packaging and insulation materials, cocaine weighing a staggering 46.7 kilogrammes, the largest haul ever at the airport. Investigators also found electronic tracking devices hidden among the drugs, suggesting a highly organized smuggling operation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Syrian suspect had entered Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing from Syria several weeks prior, before making his way to Accra and returning with the illicit cargo. The bust set off a flurry of international cooperation. Ghana’s NACOC and Lebanese security agencies quickly launched joint investigations to trace the shipment’s origins, identify other key players, and map out the broader international trafficking network.
On November 3, acting on intelligence from their Lebanese counterparts, NACOC moved in Accra. Two suspects were picked up earlier in the day, while the third was arrested around 5 PM. The operations were part of a coordinated controlled-delivery strategy designed to nab accomplices at both ends of the trafficking route and to gather intelligence to dismantle the criminal network.
According to a statement by the commission, the investigation is ongoing, with both Ghanaian and Lebanese authorities working tirelessly to identify the intended recipient of the cocaine, track down suspected accomplices, and uncover the masterminds who orchestrated the elaborate smuggling attempt. NACOC emphasized that their efforts reflect a broader mission to stamp out transnational drug trafficking and ensure that Ghana does not become a conduit for international narcotics crime.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com