NACOC Hunts Ghana Accomplices After 46.7kg Cocaine Seizure at Beirut Airport | By Dominick Andoh
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) is pursuing suspected accomplices in Ghana following the arrest of a Syrian national who allegedly attempted to transport a large consignment of cocaine from Accra to Lebanon.
The suspect was arrested on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut after arriving from Accra with cocaine concealed in two pieces of luggage.
In a statement, NACOC confirmed the arrest, saying it was working to identify and apprehend other individuals in Ghana connected to the shipment.
The joint operation is designed to identify targets at both ends of the supply chain, gather intelligence and dismantle the wider transnational criminal network behind the consignment.
While NACOC described the quantity seized as approximately 40 kilogrammes, Lebanese authorities put the figure at 46.7 kilogrammes, describing it as the largest drug seizure in the history of Beirut airport.
Preliminary investigations by Lebanese authorities indicate that the suspect, identified only by his initials, B.H., had entered Lebanon from Syria weeks earlier through the Masnaa border crossing. He subsequently travelled to Accra and allegedly returned to Beirut aboard Middle East Airlines flight MEA 576 with the cocaine.
Lebanese authorities also reported that the drugs were concealed using insulation techniques intended to evade detection by scanning equipment.
Airport security measures under scrutiny
The latest seizure comes amid intensified efforts to strengthen drug detection and passenger screening at Accra International Airport.
In October, NACOC introduced preliminary luggage screening involving scanning equipment and sniffer dogs before passengers enter the Departure Hall of Terminal 3 of the Accra International Airport ( AIA).
The measure is intended to intercept narcotics and other prohibited items before travellers proceed to airline check-in and subsequent departure formalities.
The initiative has also resulted in a new requirement for departing passengers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled flights to accommodate the additional checks.
Separately, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has deployed advanced three-dimensional (3D) security screening technology at passenger checkpoints in Terminals 2 and 3. The scanners generate detailed images of cabin baggage, enabling officers to examine contents from multiple angles.
The technology is expected to strengthen threat detection while improving passenger processing. It also allows passengers to keep laptops and other large electronic devices inside their cabin baggage during screening.
The Beirut arrest presents another test of Ghana’s strengthened airport security arrangements and highlights the importance of intelligence-led enforcement beyond airport checkpoints.
With NACOC now pursuing suspected local collaborators, the focus shifts to identifying the Ghana-based network allegedly responsible for facilitating the shipment and determining whether further arrests will follow.
NACOC Hunts Ghana Accomplices After 46.7kg Cocaine Seizure at Beirut Airport
