Minority questions why alleged masterminds behind US$350m cocaine haul remain free

The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns about the progress of investigations into the seizure of more than 3.3 tonnes of cocaine at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast, arguing that the alleged financiers and principal traffickers behind the consignment have not been identified.

The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) intercepted a tipper truck carrying the cocaine, which was concealed beneath a load of sand, on March 4, 2025.

The Minority said the consignment was reportedly worth more than US$350 million and questioned why, more than a year after the seizure, only the driver, a housemaid and a few other suspects had been arraigned.

According to the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, the development raises concerns about the effectiveness and scope of investigations into major narcotics cases.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour said the prosecution of individuals allegedly linked to the transportation of the cocaine had not resulted in the identification of those who financed or controlled the shipment.

“In the Pedu Junction matter, more than a year after the seizure, it is only the driver, a housemaid, and a small handful of peripheral suspects who have been arraigned and remain on bail, while the actual financiers and high-profile dealers behind a US$350 million cocaine shipment remain unidentified and unpunished,” he said.

The Minority is therefore calling on the authorities to provide an account of the status of investigations and explain what progress has been made in identifying those allegedly responsible for the consignment.

The Minority further alleged that the prosecution of low-level suspects while the alleged owners or financiers of drug consignments remain unidentified has become a recurring concern in major narcotics cases.

It said the situation raises “serious questions about the seriousness, independence, and reach of investigations under this Government.”

The Minority has consequently called for greater accountability over investigations into major drug seizures and urged the relevant authorities to disclose the status and outcomes of investigations into the various cases.

The concerns come amid broader calls for law enforcement agencies to move beyond the arrest of couriers and other peripheral actors and pursue the financiers and networks allegedly responsible for large-scale narcotics trafficking.