Accra, March 3, – The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has arrested nine public officers following the interception of a container loaded with a substantial quantity of undeclared Tramadol at the Tema Port.
The officers, who have been granted police enquiry bail, comprise five personnel from the Customs Division of GRA, one officer from the Narcotics Control Commission, one from the Energy Commission, one from the Ghana Standards Authority, and one Port Security officer.
A statement issued by the Authority indicated that the arrests followed the seizure of a container carrying 299 cartons containing 146,932,000 tablets of undeclared Tramadol Hydrochloride (250mg and 225mg), with a combined weight of 34,847.2 kilogrammes.
The interception was prompted by intelligence gathered by the Preventive Unit of the Customs Division. Container number TGHU6228715, cleared under Bill of Entry 40226151187, was detained on February 26, 2026, and moved to a Customs-controlled area in Tema for detailed examination.
The consignment, which originated from the United Arab Emirates, had been declared as household goods, including water kettles, kitchen blenders, pressing irons, energy-saving bulbs and polypropylene materials.
However, a joint re-examination conducted on March 1, 2026, by Customs officials and the Central Revenue Monitoring Team revealed major inconsistencies. In addition to some declared items, officers uncovered large quantities of concealed and undeclared Tramadol tablets hidden within the container.
The importer and declarant have been handed over to the police to assist with ongoing investigations. The seized pharmaceuticals remain under Customs control pending further action.
The GRA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health, safeguarding national security and strengthening the integrity of Ghana’s revenue mobilisation and border management systems.
GHBUSS
03 March 2026
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