Ghana’s ports used in global drugs trade – crime report
UN report shows Ghana is a key transit node for heroin and cocaine
A recent Global Organised Crime Index highlights Ghana’s role as a transit hub for heroin from Afghanistan and cocaine from Brazil. It notes the use of ports in Tema and Takoradi, as well as airports, to move drugs across borders. Trafficking networks sometimes mask cocaine in sugar shipments before they reach Ghanaian shores.
The report reveals that heroin seizures point to importation by East African couriers, some of whom later repackage and export to the United States. There are also claims of officials aiding these movements through the country’s maritime and air infrastructure.
Historically confined to Accra and Tema, heroin use is now spreading to other regions, including the north. The study identifies Ghanaian and Nigerian groups as key players in expanding West African heroin markets.
For Brazil‑sourced cocaine, seized in large containers hidden in sugar cargoes, Ghanaian criminal groups help ferry it to overseas destinations. The report also raises concerns about possible political protection of these illicit trades.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime stresses the need for stronger border controls and anti‑corruption measures to curb these flows. The findings call for increased cooperation among West African states to disrupt trafficking routes and protect Ghana’s reputation in global trade.
