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Ghana seized more than 8,500 kilograms of narcotic drugs and intercepted approximately 45.4 million tramadol tablets over the past 20 months, Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka has disclosed.
The seizures, he said, formed part of intensified efforts by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to combat drug trafficking and curb the increasing use of synthetic drugs, particularly among young people.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, August 24, 2026, Mr Muntaka said the crackdown had also resulted in 217 arrests and 165 prosecutions during the period under review.
“Narcotics Control has intensified its efforts, and imagine that in less than two years, over 45 million tablets of tramadol were seized and intercepted,” he said.
Beyond the seizure of narcotics, the Interior Minister said authorities had expanded the fight to include the financial networks and assets of suspected drug traffickers.
According to him, 73 assets had been recovered in connection with suspected drug-related activities, while approximately 19 kilograms of gold had also been seized in cases involving suspected drug-related money laundering.
Authorities, he added, had restrained about GH¢6.9 million and US$440,000 in cash believed to be linked to suspected narcotics-related activities.
Public education intensified
Mr Muntaka said the government’s response to drug abuse also involved extensive public education and awareness campaigns led by NACOC.
He disclosed that more than 2,000 educational sessions had been organised nationwide to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
The programmes targeted basic and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, religious organisations, communities and workplaces.
The breakdown included 1,153 sessions at the basic school level, 185 at secondary schools and 41 at tertiary institutions.
A further 187 sessions were conducted in faith-based institutions, 147 in communities and 235 in workplaces.
Rehabilitation remains a challenge
Despite the progress made in enforcement and public education, the Interior Minister identified rehabilitation as a major weakness in Ghana’s response to substance abuse.
Mr Muntaka noted that the country currently does not have a state-owned rehabilitation centre, highlighting the need to strengthen the rehabilitation component of the national drug control strategy.
He said addressing the gap would be important in ensuring that people affected by substance abuse receive the necessary support to recover and reintegrate into society.