The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), working together with other security agencies, has seized a shipment of opioid drugs worth around GH₵20 million at the Tema Port.
Details of the Seized Shipment
The confiscated shipment included the following pharmaceutical products:
Rahol Tapentadol 250 mg – 26 cartons
Tafradol Tapentadol 120 mg – 160 cartons
Timaking Tapentadol 120 mg – 40 cartons
Loperamide 2 mg – 190 cartons
Chlorpheniramine Maleate – 320 cartons
According to officials, the cargo was reportedly on its way to Niger as its final destination.
In a press briefing at Tema Port, Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh reiterated the government’s commitment to preventing Ghana from being used as a transit point for illegal opioid trafficking.
“While we are dedicated to promoting trade, we will not allow Ghana to become a hub for opioid distribution. The President himself is deeply concerned about this issue; he reached out to me twice before I arrived here, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the matter,” the minister emphasized.
Authorities have vowed to strengthen regulations and improve surveillance at the nation’s ports to combat the smuggling of illegal pharmaceuticals.
