Minority demands independent probe into missing 100 grams of cocaine

The Minority in Parliament is demanding the setting up of a commission of inquiry to probe what it is now calling the Aflao cocaine saga.

Cocaine weighing about 100.1 grams with a street value of about $3,000 went missing at the Aflao border.

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Addressing the media in Parliament, a Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee of the House, James Agalga, said: “it is the expectation of the minority that the current government will follow precedent by allowing an independent body to thoroughly investigate the Aflao cocaine saga.”

He recalled the Georgina Wood Commission of Inquiry probing the disappearance of cocaine from the MV Benjamin vessel in 2006 and the Kojo Armah committee in 2008 which probed the substitution of cocaine with flour at the CID headquarters.

The disappearance of the cocaine at Aflao was followed by a back forth between the Narcotics Control Commission and the Ghana Revenue Authority over culpability.

Mr. Agalga said the exchanges between the two indicated a “grave danger” to national security, adding that the lack of collaboration between these state entities must be investigated.

“The Minority in Parliament is of the view that the lack of synergy amongst the country’s security agencies at our borders mirrors the failure of the leadership of President Akufo-Addo as chairman of the national security council,” he stated.

Spat between NACOC and GRA

The cocaine was intercepted through a joint operation by the Customs Division of the GRA and NACOC.

A search on a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicle with a Nigerian registration number at the Kpoglu Border Post in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region revealed the drugs.

The cocaine was hidden under its fuel tank in a false compartment.

The Sector Commander of the GRA Customs Division, Majeed Amandi, is of the view that the missing cocaine may have been stolen by officials of NACOC or swept away.

Mr. Amandi also said NACOC was trying to sabotage the customs officers.

“It is my humble conclusion that there was a well-orchestrated plan intended to discredit the handling of intercepted narcotics by Customs. And further that NACOC officers have harboured a clear vendetta against Customs for numerous times that Customs have intercepted narcotic substances.”

But The Director-General of NACOC, Francis Torkornoo, said his officers after impounding the vehicle took inventory of all the packages, which included $200,000, and wanted to send it to Accra for investigations but Customs officers refused.

“When they dropped the fuel tank, there was this false compartment under the vehicle containing various parcels and an amount of $200,000. After the inventory, as expected, NACOC wanted to the bring the vehicle to Accra for investigations to start, but the Customs officers refused, saying that they need to hear from their superiors from Accra.”