A former detective with the Ghana Police Service, Norbert Anane Dei, has recounted details of the 2006 MV Benjamin cocaine scandal, describing how seized cocaine parcels later turned into ‘kokonte flour’ after being transferred to the Police Headquarters.
According to him, in an interview sighted by GhanaWeb on X, 77 parcels of cocaine were offloaded at Tema on April 26, 2006, and intercepted by a police team at Prampram.
He said the operation began after he received intelligence about a vessel carrying cocaine that had docked at Prampram instead of the Tema Harbor.
The 2006 MV Benjamin cocaine saga that nearly cut short COP Kofi Boakye’s career
“I was working with the Ghana Police Service in the CID Division of Prampram Police Station. That was my station then. What happened was that I had information that some people were carrying cocaine on a ship called MV Benjamin. They didn't go to the main harbor as it supposed to but instead of the Tema Harbor, they docked at Prampram Beach,” he said.
He explained that the information came from a fisherman who tipped them off after being paid less than expected by the traffickers.
“They are at the sea carrying a lot of cocaine. In fact, these canoe fishermen go there and convey it in the night to the shore. We were informed by one fisherman who we used to buy fish from. He told me that the ship carrying cocaine, on arrival has persons who go there for the cocaine and convey it. And they give them $5,000 each. But this time around when they came, they gave them $2,000, so he gave a tip-off,” he narrated.
Anane Dei noted that he reported the intelligence to his superiors, and a team was formed to intercept the consignment.
He said the suspects attempted to conceal the drugs by mixing them with fish in a vehicle.
“I immediately reported to our superior at the district police station. So I went and reported them. It was between 12 and 1 to 2 am. So we laid an ambush there; they didn't see us. We saw them, brought everything, and packed it in a registered cargo Benz Sprinter, and after they put the substance, that is cocaine, into the Benz Sprinter, they put fish on it. They packed the fish in cartons and put it on it as if it was just fish,” he explained.
He added that some individuals believed to be influential were waiting nearby to receive the consignment.
“Some people were also around waiting to take the consignment. About two cars. One Benz Porsche car. And these people are highly, you know, influential people in society. Businessmen,” he stated.
“So when we saw they were about to move, we gave a warning shot. We were four… I can't mention his name now because of security reasons. We arrested the one driving the Benz Sprinter, impounded the substance and the other ones who were in their cars ran away,” he added.
He disclosed that the seized items were sent to the Prampram Police Station, but some officers took some of the drugs.
He further alleged that the operation was influenced by a superior officer and that the remaining parcels were forwarded to the Police Headquarters.
“We took it to the Prampram police station. In fact, it was more than 77 because we took some. The police officers stole it. We took some and sent the rest. Oh, it was a team planned by the superior officer who was in charge of the police station then. So we took some, and we forwarded the rest to the headquarters, where they are supposed to send to the forensic lab,” he indicated.
He said the consignment later turned into dried cassava flour locally called ‘kokonte powder’ after it got to the Police Headquarters for forensic examination.
The 2006 MV Benjamin cocaine saga that nearly cut short COP Kofi Boakye’s career
“But at the headquarters, later on, we had information that it had turned into Kokonte powder,” he revealed.
He also revealed that the team accepted a bribe from the suspects at the scene.
“… Even at the spot, they gave us a $35,000 bribe. The Benz Sprinter driver offered us a bribe, but we still arrested them. We shared the money among ourselves,” he claimed.
Dei stressed that the original substance sent from Prampram was genuine cocaine but was later found to be something else after forensic examination.
“… And it was at the headquarters when they sent it to the forensic lab, that it was disclosed by forensic examination that they found out it was not a cocaine substance but it was kokonte powder. Our team from the Prampram police station sent the genuine thing to the headquarters,” he said.
He admitted that his involvement in the case led to personal struggles, including drug addiction.
“… I started smoking. We were first put on interdiction, and later on we were discharged. They got to know we stole some of the parcels. Interdiction simply means that inquiries and investigations are still going on. They began to suspect, but they couldn't trace it because they didn't have enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of competent jurisdiction,” he stated.
Ex-Detective Norbert Anane Dei recounted the 2006 MV Benjamin cocaine scandal that shocked Ghana. He narrated how 77 parcels of cocaine, offloaded at Tema on April 26, 2006, mysteriously turned into ‘konkonte flour’ (dried cassava flour) after being sent from the Prampram Police… pic.twitter.com/g1b0rdFQME
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