Nine public officers, including five Customs officials, have been arrested and placed under Police inquiry bail following the interception of a container carrying a massive consignment of undeclared Tramadol at the Tema Port.
The arrests come after the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) seized a container loaded with 299 cartons containing 146,932,000 tablets of Tramadol Hydrochloride in 250mg and 225mg doses.
The tablets weigh an estimated 34,847.2 kilogrammes.
Those arrested include five Customs officers, one officer from the Narcotics Control Commission, one Port Security officer, one officer from the Energy Commission and one officer from the Ghana Standards Authority.
According to the GRA in a statement on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the seizure was intelligence-led.
“The seizure was triggered by intelligence received by the Preventive wing of the Customs Division,” the statement said.
The container, numbered TGHU6228715 and cleared under Bill of Entry 40226151187, was detained on February 26, 2026, and transferred to a Customs-controlled area in Tema for further examination.
The shipment originated from the United Arab Emirates and had been declared as containing household items such as water kettles, kitchen blenders, pressing irons, energy-saving bulbs and polypropylene material.
However, a joint re-examination by Customs officers and the Central Revenue Monitoring Team on March 1, 2026 uncovered major discrepancies. In addition to some of the declared items, officers discovered large quantities of concealed and undeclared Tramadol tablets hidden within the container.
The importer and declarant have been handed over to the Police to assist with ongoing investigations, while the seized consignment remains under Customs control.
GRA reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding national security, protecting public health and preserving the integrity of Ghana’s revenue and border management systems.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Abigail praise Pabai
