The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has confirmed the arrest of a Syrian national at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon with over approximately 40 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine from Ghana.
According to NACOC, the suspect was arrested on Saturday, October 31, 2026, following his arrival from Accra, Ghana, with the suspected narcotic substance concealed in two pieces of luggage.
NACOC, in a statement issued on November 1, 2026, said it was working to identify and arrest the suspect’s accomplices in Ghana as part of ongoing operations to dismantle the criminal network behind the shipment.
The Commission in its statement detailed that the arrest followed a coordinated controlled delivery operation involving close collaboration between Ghanaian and Lebanese drug law enforcement authorities.
NACOC revealed that the joint operation was designed to identify and apprehend targets at both ends of the drug supply chain while gathering intelligence to dismantle the wider transnational criminal syndicate responsible for the shipment
The development follows a Syrian national who was busted in Lebanon after arriving from Ghana with 40 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine concealed in two bags at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Reports suggest the suspect was apprehended shortly after arriving on a flight from Accra International Airport, following what reports describe as surveillance that began before he departed from Ghana and continued until he arrived in Lebanon.
According to reports, officers from Lebanon’s General Security monitored the passenger from the moment he disembarked from the aircraft until he collected his two bags.
The officers subsequently coordinated with Customs officials to conduct a search, which led to the discovery of 40 boxes containing cocaine, with each box weighing approximately one kilogramme.
Electronic tracking devices, identified as AirTags, were also reportedly found fitted within the packages.
The Syrian national was arrested, while the suspected cocaine was seized and taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Security analyst Richard Kumadoe has predicted further arrests in Ghana following the seizure of 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine in Beirut, Lebanon, involving a suspect who travelled from Accra.
According to Richard Kumadoe, the operation was an intelligence-led controlled delivery designed not only to intercept the suspected drugs but also to gather information on a wider trafficking network.
Speaking on the development, Mr Kumadoe explained that controlled delivery allows security agencies to monitor suspected drug shipments and their handlers before making arrests, to identify other individuals involved in the operation.
Richard Kumadoe said the intelligence-led nature of the exercise suggested that Ghanaian authorities could be preparing to arrest other persons linked to the suspected trafficking network.
“When I saw controlled delivery, and I saw intelligence-led, what I wanted to say is that I would not be surprised if NACOC would make a number of arrests in the coming days in Ghana,” he said.
Mr Kumadoe further revealed that several individuals had been under surveillance following recent international drug trafficking operations, including the seizure of cocaine in France.
“A number of people have been under surveillance and a number of people have been watched. And before December, a number of arrests will be made,” he predicted.
He further commended the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) for its collaboration with other security agencies.
He, however, stressed the need for sustained investigations, arrests and prosecutions, particularly as the country approaches the festive season.
“What is going to happen is that Ghana will become a hostile environment. That is, either when you come here, we get you arrested or we let you go, and we give a tip-off,” he said.
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