Majeed Amandi the Sector Commander of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division, says the missing cocaine at Aflao border may have been stolen or swept away.
Narcotics Control Board, NACOB said a parcel of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine went missing after Joint security operation by Customs and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) at the Aflao border in the Volta Region which led to the interception of some narcotic substances.
Francis Torkornoo who is the Director-General of NACOC, says Customs officers mounted a firm opposition to the idea of transporting the substance which was concealed in a vehicle impounded by NACOC, to Accra.
“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,” he said.
Mr Amandi, however, dismissed this explanation in a statement, intimating that, it was intended to discount the Custom officers’ handling of the intercepted substance.
“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.”
“In view of the small size of the particular parcel concerned, i.e 100g whitish substance, it is my observation also that possibly the parcel could have dropped in the midst of the disorderliness of examination process at the conference room and was swept away together with the rubbish unnoticed or even pilfered by any of the NACOC officers who handled the substances during examination for their diabolical intentions.”
He expressed his dissatisfaction with attempts by NACOC to sabotage Customs officers.
“From the attitude of the NACOC officers before, during and after a physical examination of the intercepted cargo, it was clear also that, the sabotage of our operations cannot be ruled out. And also that misinformation, as well as a deliberate attempt to incriminate officers at the least opportunity, may not be ruled out.”
