New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker John Ntim Fordjour has called for a formal investigation into Ghana’s alleged connection to a major international drug trafficking operation after Australian authorities intercepted methamphetamine worth an estimated US$300 million.
Fordjour said Ghanaian security and anti-narcotics agencies must account for what he described as a growing pattern of drug shipments allegedly linked to the country, following reports of a large methamphetamine consignment seized in Australia.
“Another major $296 million drug bust originating from our country?” the Assin South MP wrote on social media platform X, urging accountability from officials including the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and the Bureau of National Investigations.
Australian authorities had dismantled a trafficking network involving about 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in sacks of charcoal and shipped from West Africa before being intercepted at Port Botany in Sydney.
Border officials reportedly detected irregularities in two containers, prompting an inspection that led to the recovery of the drugs at a storage facility in Girraween, where forensic tests confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.
Police allege a 34-year-old British actress, previously known for a role in an EastEnders spin-off, was involved in unpacking and moving parts of the shipment to a residence in Blacktown, where she was later arrested.
Further searches at the property reportedly uncovered additional suspected narcotics, electronic devices and a notebook now undergoing forensic analysis as investigators expand their probe into the wider network.
The Adelaide-based couple allegedly linked to the case were previously charged in April and are expected back in court in September, while the actress remains in custody pending a scheduled appearance in August.
The Ghanaian government had previously rejected claims that the country is becoming a major hub for international drug trafficking, insisting that security agencies continue to strengthen surveillance and enforcement measures.
In a related development, a British actress has been charged with attempting to smuggle 700 pounds of methamphetamine into Australia from West Africa, according to CBS News’ partner network the BBC.
Emaa Hussen, 34, who appeared in the 2013 action thriller “Redemption” with Jason Statham, and a spin-off of the U.K.’s long-running series “EastEnders” in 2010, appeared in a Sydney court Thursday to face accusations of trying to bring $208 million worth of meth into the country.
Police have said the drugs were hidden in bags of charcoal loaded into shipping containers sent from Ghana, according to the BBC. The maximum penalty Hussen could face is life imprisonment.
A file photo shows methamphetamine seized by the Australian Federal Police, on display in Sydney, May 15, 2015
The drugs seizure “has prevented a potential 3.2 million deals from reaching Australian streets,” acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson, of the Australian Federal Police, said in a statement.
“Criminal syndicates will go to great lengths to disguise illicit drugs, including embedding them in everyday goods like charcoal, but our highly skilled officers are trained to see beyond these attempts,” said Border Force Superintendent Jared Leighton.
“A white crystalized substance”
Australian police first launched their investigation in April after finding a “white crystalized substance” in two shipping containers sent from Ghana to Sydney’s Port Botany.
They said Hussen helped several men unpacked the containers, then load the goods into a vehicle. They drove to a home where police arrested Hussen.
Police found 32 bags at the house, according to Australia’s 9News. A South African couple, 30 and 32 years old, were also arrested for using false identities to rent storage units. Hussen has been refused bail and has another court date in August.
