STORY: Ghanaian authorities on Friday (June 20) destroyed 3.3 tonnes of cocaine valued at over $350 million, the largest such seizure in the country's history, officials said.

The drugs were intercepted in March during a joint operation by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in Cape Coast, central Ghana. They were found concealed beneath sand in a tipper truck en route from the Western Region to Accra.

West Africa has long been a transit point for drugs bound for Europe from South America, with large seizures relatively common in the region. This operation, however, stands out for its unprecedented scale in Ghana.

Alexander Twul-Barimah, Deputy Director General of NACOC, said the drugs' high purity ranged from 50% to 70%. The destruction took place under heavy security, and included smaller amounts of other drugs including heroin and methamphetamine.

"We are extremely awake," Twul-Barimah told the press at the scene. "Whatever angle they use, we are ready."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: BUNDASE, GHANA (JUNE 20, 2025) (REUTERS - Access All)

1. VARIOUS OF GIANT BONFIRE OF BAGS OF DRUGS

2. VARIOUS OF BAGS OF DRUGS BEING UNLOADED FROM TRUCK

3. DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD EXAMINING DRUG TEST

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD GHANA, ALEXANDER TWUL-BARIMAH, SAYING:

"So what you saw today, there was an arrest that was made by the NIB, or the National Investigation Bureau, and Narcotics Control Commission in the central region of Ghana. We arrested $350 million worth of cocaine. That cocaine that was arrested were those sacks that you saw them parked at the corner there, which we are burning now. The court has given us the freedom to do so. Among others, those that were also arrested by Narcotics Control Commission, which includes some heroin, which is well, I mean, the weight is about 10.45 kg. Cannabis with a weight of 1,934.27 kg. Meth, which is 2.0 kg."

5. VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS TESTING COCAINE SAMPLE

6. DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD GHANA, MAXWELL OBUBA MANTEY, AND TWUL-BARIMAH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD GHANA, BRIGADIER GENERAL MAXWELL OBUBA MANTEY, SAYING:

"My simple message to those who perpetrate, or who are involved in this illicit drug business is that it is not fair to the country. We will not stand idly by and allow them to bring in these illicit drugs to destroy our future leaders. From next month, we'll be conducting special operations, and we'll go after them. I hope that you cooperate with us, you assist us as much as possible, so that I can bring them to the public view, for them to be named and ashamed - shamed. This cannot continue in our lovely country. We need peace, security and a healthy state."

8. VARIOUS OF FUEL BEING POURED ON DRUGS

9. MANTEY SETTING DRUGS ON FIRE

10. VARIOUS OF DRUGS BURNING

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD GHANA, ALEXANDER TWUL-BARIMAH, SAYING:

"Some countries have only two [points of entry] - they have the air and the land. Unfortunately, fortunately and unfortunately, we have three. So, what I like is that you may be finding some people finding their way into our jurisdiction. But the good thing is that we are not asleep. Whatever angle that they use, we are ready. This $350 million worth of cocaine, it was loaded in this truck, which is used in carrying sand. And they loaded sand on top. So it needs intelligence to be able to intercept such a thing. If not, it will just pass through and go away and then go and dump it somewhere and then they will start taking it off. But I can assure you that we are extremely awake."

12. VARIOUS OF DRUGS BURNING

13. VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICERS

14. VARIOUS OF COCAINE BAGS

15. VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICERS