Interior Minister: Preliminary probe into Australia-bound meth shipment implicates 'some people within the system'

Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has disclosed that ongoing investigations into the massive methamphetamine shipment intercepted in Australia have implicated several government officials suspected of facilitating the movement and concealment of the illicit drugs.

The minister revealed that security agencies are actively interrogating a number of public officials as investigators work to unravel what appears to be a sophisticated drug trafficking network with possible insider involvement.

Speaking before Parliament's Assurance Committee, Mr. Muntaka said Ghana's security agencies have intensified investigations following the seizure of approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine that originated from Ghana and was intercepted by Australian authorities earlier this year.

"Our men are on the ground. Like this Australia thing that you mentioned in passing, the Director-General will tell you, even as at yesterday, we were still interrogating a lot of government officials," the Interior Minister told the committee.

According to Mr. Muntaka, preliminary investigations have uncovered several inconsistencies that strongly suggest the involvement of individuals within Ghana's security and border management systems.

He indicated that some officials are suspected of manipulating established procedures to facilitate the movement of the narcotics through the country's ports and border checkpoints.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the minister declined to disclose the identities of those under investigation or provide additional operational details, explaining that doing so could compromise ongoing investigations.

"You have been Minister for Defence and you know the importance of evidence. It's not everything that I can put out at this stage because we are still investigating and we are still interrogating people," he stated.

Mr. Muntaka stressed that investigators are following every lead to identify everyone who may have played a role in the attempted international drug shipment.

"There's a lot not adding up. You could see that there's some involvement of some people within the system. And we are working at it to try to reach out to as many people as possible that we think might have played one role or the other," he added.

The Interior Minister assured Parliament that the government has already begun implementing new security measures aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

According to him, security agencies have reviewed their operational procedures, including the deployment, supervision and rotation of personnel stationed at the country's entry and exit points.

He emphasized that while investments in advanced scanning technology and surveillance equipment remain important, the integrity of security personnel is the most critical factor in safeguarding Ghana's borders.

"Because even if you put all these gadgets, remember that they are going to be operated by human beings. So, if the wrong persons are sitting there, you can bring all the gadgets in this world, it will still not be safe," Mr. Muntaka said.

He added that changes have already been introduced to reduce the possibility of internal compromise.

"We have changed our modus operandi, the way we operate, the way we place personnel. All of it is to make sure that we secure our borders," he noted.

The investigations in Ghana follow one of Australia's largest recent methamphetamine seizures involving cargo from West Africa.

Australian authorities intercepted approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside bags of charcoal shipped from Ghana. The illicit drugs were estimated to have a street value of about A$296 million.

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the shipment arrived at Sydney's Port Botany in April 2026, where officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) detected irregularities during routine x-ray screening.

Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed the white crystalline substance hidden inside the cargo was methamphetamine.

Rather than immediately seizing the shipment, Australian authorities removed the drugs and allowed the container to continue to a storage facility in Girraween as part of a controlled law enforcement operation designed to identify those behind the trafficking network.

The investigation has so far led to the arrest and charging of three individuals in Australia over their alleged involvement in the attempted importation.

Among those charged is 34-year-old British actress Emaa Hussen, who reportedly appeared in an EastEnders spin-off production and a Jason Statham film.

Australian prosecutors allege that Hussen attended the storage facility after the shipment arrived and supervised individuals unloading the cargo. Investigators further claim that several bags were transferred into another vehicle before being transported to a residence in Blacktown.

She has been charged with attempting to import and possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug—an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under Australian law. She was denied bail during her court appearance in Sydney.

With investigations ongoing in both Ghana and Australia, authorities are expected to deepen collaboration to determine the full extent of the international drug trafficking operation.

The Ghanaian government says it remains committed to identifying all individuals involved, regardless of their positions, while strengthening border security systems to prevent the country from being used as a transit point for international narcotics trafficking.

The Interior Ministry has assured Parliament that further details will be made public once investigators have gathered sufficient evidence and completed the interrogation of all persons of interest.