'How did it enter Ghana, was it manufactured here?' – Kofi Tonto on Syrian arrested with cocaine at Beirut airport

A political aide to former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Kofi Tonto, has questioned the sources of cocaine entering Ghana amid renewed concerns over drug trafficking in the country.

He has urged authorities and the public to pay attention to how the substance gets into the country, rather than focusing only on consignments intercepted while leaving Ghana.

His comments follow the arrest of a Syrian national at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Saturday, October 31, after arriving from Accra with suspected cocaine concealed in two pieces of luggage.

The seizure has triggered questions about Ghana’s airport security and the effectiveness of efforts by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and other security agencies to combat drug trafficking.

Speaking on Accra-based JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, November 2, Tonto said the first question should be whether the cocaine was produced in Ghana or brought into the country from another jurisdiction.

“My first question is: Where did the cocaine come from? Was the cocaine manufactured in Ghana, or did it come from a different country into Ghana? That is the first question we all have to ask ourselves,” he said.

He argued that the public debate had largely focused on how cocaine leaves Ghana and whether security agencies could intercept outgoing shipments.

Tonto, however, asserted that authorities must also investigate how the substance enters the country and identify those responsible for bringing it in.

“The job of NACOC is not just limited to the cocaine leaving our shores. It is also about the cocaine entering our shores. So the question we must all ask, which most of us, including the media, have failed to ask, is: How is cocaine entering our country? Who is bringing it into our country?” he added.