Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has confirmed the arrest of a Syrian national at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, following an alleged attempt to smuggle approximately 40 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine out of Ghana.
The suspect was apprehended on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after arriving in the Lebanese capital from Accra with the suspected illicit substance concealed in two separate pieces of luggage.
The seizure, which was carried out by Lebanese Customs officials at Beirut’s international airport, forms part of a coordinated international anti narcotics operation involving law enforcement agencies in Ghana and Lebanon.
In a statement released on Sunday, November 1, 2026, NACOC disclosed that investigations were ongoing to identify, track down and arrest other individuals suspected of collaborating with the arrested traveller in Ghana.
The Commission indicated that efforts were being intensified to uncover the local connections behind the attempted shipment and dismantle the criminal network believed to have facilitated the movement of the suspected narcotics across international borders.
According to NACOC, the arrest resulted from a carefully coordinated controlled delivery operation undertaken through close collaboration between Ghanaian and Lebanese drug enforcement authorities.
The joint exercise was designed not merely to apprehend the individual transporting the consignment, but also to identify and capture other suspected participants operating at different points along the drug trafficking chain.
The Commission explained that the operation provided an opportunity for investigators to gather critical intelligence about the wider transnational criminal organisation allegedly responsible for arranging and facilitating the shipment.
NACOC further emphasised that the successful interception demonstrated the significance of international partnerships, operational coordination and timely intelligence exchange in confronting the increasingly cross border nature of illicit drug trafficking.
It reiterated Ghana’s determination to strengthen cooperation with Lebanon and other international law enforcement partners to identify trafficking networks, apprehend suspected offenders and disrupt the movement of prohibited narcotic substances across national jurisdictions.
The Commission maintained that sustained collaboration between countries remains essential to addressing organised drug trafficking and preventing criminal syndicates from exploiting international transportation routes.
