The Sector Commander of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), at the Tema Port, Confidence Nyadzi, has dismissed claims that 500 kilogrammes of cocaine worth about $30 million dollars has disappeared from the Port.
According to him, thorough investigations conducted by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), the Ministry of Interior and other sector institutions, revealed that no container with cocaine had been detained at the Port.
This is contrary to The Finder newspaper’s report suggesting that 10 bags of cocaine, hidden in a consignment of rice with an estimated street value of about $30million, has vanished from the Tema Port under mysterious circumstances.
The said container was detained on December 2016, but speaking to Citi News’ Franklin Badu Jnr, Mr Nyadzi insisted that, the report cannot be true.
“I can tell you that there is no truth in that reportage. I know that this matter has been dealt with at the office of the Minister of Interior and at that meeting was the commissioner of customs, the ex-commissioner, Mr. John Pianim, myself, NACOB and the relevant stakeholders.
We looked at all the issues involved, as to whether there was a cocaine missing or not, I don’t think anybody can tell you that. And I’m telling you that the report is misleading. There was no cocaine in Tema Port in anybody’s custody which got missing.”
“We have done investigation, BNI has done investigation, NACOB is doing investigation. It is expected that we will know what exactly the story is; whether there is cocaine at all or not. On authority, I can tell you that I’m not aware of any cocaine shipment.
I’m the head of Customs at Tema Port and I’m not aware of cocaine shipment. I am telling you categorically that I am not aware of any missing cocaine at Tema Port. If somebody says so perhaps he has some facts I don’t have,” he added.
According to the Finder newspaper, a ship carrying some containers with cocaine onboard arrived in Tema Port in December 2016, but the suspected cocaine vanished before February 23, 2017, when all stakeholders conducted compulsory tests on the container.
The report stated that, K9 Dogs which are specially trained to detect cocaine, confirmed traces of cocaine in the said container, while UK’s Operation West Bridge also conducted sampling by the use of itemisers which also confirmed traces of cocaine.
The newspaper also said separate investigations it conducted on the suspected missing cocaine by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) and Customs, have been submitted to the Interior Minister and the Attorney General’s offices.
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