Ghana Customs officials at Takoradi Port have intercepted a massive consignment of suspected illicit drugs concealed in two 40-foot containers during an intelligence-led operation at Atlantic Terminal Services Limited. The containers were originally declared as carrying ceiling fans.
Frontline officers, noticing unusual packaging patterns, alerted their superiors, prompting Sector Commander Walter Blankson to place the containers under strict surveillance. The containers were later unstuffed for a detailed inspection.
The operation involved personnel from the Narcotics Control Commission, National Security, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Food and Drugs Authority, and the declarant, Maxwell Boateng.
Customs officials discovered an estimated 25 million tablets of suspected Tapentadol and Timaking hidden among cartons of ceiling fans, along with thousands of undeclared electrical appliances. Samples of the tablets were taken for laboratory analysis, while the remaining items were transferred to the State Warehouse in Takoradi to aid ongoing investigations.
The declarant is currently in the custody of the Narcotics Control Commission, assisting authorities in identifying the owners of the containers.
Customs stressed that the seizure underscores the importance of frontline vigilance and inter-agency collaboration in protecting Ghana’s borders and safeguarding public health.
