Ghana’s Largest Cocaine Bust: NIB Declares Three More Suspects Wanted as Drug Tests Confirm Purity
The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has declared three more individuals wanted in connection with Ghana’s biggest drug seizure of 2025. The suspects — Kelian Julien Mensah, Jefflean Kwadjo Ntow, and Charles Hagan — are being pursued for their alleged roles in trafficking over three tonnes of confirmed cocaine intercepted in March.
The illicit cargo was discovered concealed under sand in a tipper truck at Pedu Junction in the Central Region, en route to Accra. The bust, now officially confirmed as the largest narcotics seizure in Ghana this year, has taken a new turn following court-mandated testing of the substances at the NIB headquarters in Ridge, Accra.
Acting on an order from the Criminal Division of the High Court, presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the NIB conducted preliminary field tests using the Cobalt Thiocyanate reagent, which turned blue — a presumptive positive for cocaine. Follow-up laboratory analysis by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), confirmed the substance as cocaine hydrochloride.
With the identity of the drug now verified, the court has granted the NIB permission to proceed with the destruction of the seized narcotics. The remaining cocaine, valued at over $350 million, will be incinerated at Bundase in the Greater Accra Region on June 20, 2025.
However, courtroom proceedings on Wednesday were not without contention. A move by the State Attorney to submit the GSA’s lab results through a technician was blocked by the defense. Lead counsel Victor Adawudu objected, citing the incomplete status of the Case Management Conference (CMC). The court agreed, ruling the tendering of such evidence premature.
Meanwhile, all parties were present during the collection of additional samples to ensure integrity and fairness ahead of the trial.
The criminal case has been adjourned to June 24, 2025, as investigations continue and efforts intensify to apprehend the three newly named suspects.
This case marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s fight against drug trafficking, with authorities determined to bring all involved to justice and dismantle the network behind the massive cocaine operation.
