Interior Minister, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed- Mubarak, has disclosed that several government officials are under investigation over their alleged involvement in the shipment of methamphetamine intercepted by Australian authorities after it was exported from Ghana.
Addressing Parliament’s Assurance Committee on Tuesday, the Minister said preliminary investigations suggest that some officials may have facilitated the concealment and movement of the illicit drugs by exploiting weaknesses within Ghana’s security system.
According to him, investigators are interrogating several individuals as authorities work to establish the full extent of the suspected internal collusion.
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“Even as of yesterday, we were still interrogating a lot of government officials. It is not everything I can disclose at this stage because investigations are still ongoing. Many things are not adding up, and it appears there is involvement by some people within the system,” Mr Muntaka stated.
The Interior Minister stressed that technology alone cannot eliminate transnational crime if the personnel responsible for operating security systems lack integrity.
He explained that while government continues to invest in modern screening equipment, human conduct remains the most critical factor in protecting the country’s borders.
“Even if you install the best security gadgets, they are still operated by human beings. If the wrong people are in charge, no amount of technology will be effective,” he said.
Mr Muntaka revealed that the government has already begun implementing new operational measures, including changes in personnel deployment and security procedures at Ghana’s ports and border entry points to strengthen surveillance and reduce vulnerabilities.
“We have changed our modus operandi and the way personnel are deployed. These reforms are aimed at ensuring that our borders are better protected,” he added.
The Minister’s comments follow the interception of approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in sacks of charcoal shipped from Ghana to Port Botany in Sydney, Australia.
Australian authorities estimate the seized narcotics have a street value of about $296 million, making it one of the country’s largest recent methamphetamine seizures.
Investigators reportedly discovered the drugs after detecting irregularities in two shipping containers imported from West Africa.
The seizure has triggered extensive investigations in both Ghana and Australia into possible breaches within Ghana’s border security system and the international criminal network behind the shipment.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has called for a comprehensive investigation into Ghana’s alleged connection to the international drug trafficking operation.
In a post on social media platform X, the lawmaker questioned how such a large consignment could leave Ghana undetected and urged agencies, including the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and other national security institutions, to account for what he described as an emerging pattern of drug shipments linked to the country.
Australian police have since arrested several suspects connected to the trafficking network, including a British actress and an Adelaide-based couple, as investigations continue.
The Interior Minister assured that the authorities remain committed to collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to identify everyone involved and strengthen measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.