In a major operation, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has intercepted 3,319.66 kilograms (3.3 tonnes) of suspected cocaine, valued at approximately $350 million.
The massive drug haul was hidden in sacks and bags, concealed beneath heaps of sand in a tipper truck to evade detection.
However, NIB operatives uncovered the illicit cargo, marking a significant breakthrough in the country’s ongoing fight against narcotics.
The truck was intercepted at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast, Central Region, while en route to Accra. This seizure, exceeding 3,300 kilograms of cocaine, ranks among the largest in the nation’s history.
The driver of the tipper truck, 39-year-old Isaac Quaicoo, and his assistant, 25-year-old tertiary student Kenneth Cobbinah, are currently in custody, assisting the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) with investigations.
After offloading the sand, authorities discovered 143 distinctly marked sacks, collectively weighing 2,974kg. Preliminary field tests conducted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) confirmed the substance as cocaine.
Further intelligence-led investigations led NIB operatives to a suspect’s residence, where a search on March 8, 2025, uncovered an additional 13 sacks and one bag of suspected cocaine, weighing 345.07kg.
Laboratory analyses by NACOC and the Ghana Standards Authority confirmed the seized substances as high-purity cocaine, with purity levels ranging from 50% to 70%, according to NIB sources.
The suspects are scheduled to reappear in court on April 2, 2025.
