Larry Alans-Dogbey is the Editor of the Herald newspaper
The Editor of the Herald newspaper, Larry Alans-Dogbey, has alleged that weaknesses in Ghana’s drug enforcement system under the Akufo-Addo administration allowed large quantities of narcotics to enter the country.
He cited the withdrawal of Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) officials, non-functional scanners and the death of sniffer dogs as factors that weakened surveillance at the country’s ports.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Channel One TV on Monday, November 2, 2026, Dogbey said the previous administration’s handling of drug enforcement created conditions that made it easier for narcotics to enter Ghana.
His comments come amid renewed scrutiny of Ghana’s role in international drug trafficking following recent cocaine seizures in Europe and the arrest of a Syrian national in Lebanon with 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine reportedly linked to a shipment from Ghana.
Dogbey argued that the current concerns about drug trafficking should not be blamed solely on the present administration, insisting that the situation under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must also be examined.
“Under Akufo-Addo, a lot of drugs came in… Let's face that fact. Under Akufo-Addo, a lot of drugs came in. A lot of drugs came into this country, and so we don't say that. Listen, today, because some of those drugs are moving out, we should ignore what had happened before,” he said.
He further alleged that changes to NACOC’s operational arrangements and weaknesses in surveillance equipment at the ports created opportunities for drug shipments to enter the country.
“You pulled out officials of NACOC. You disorganised the arrangement over there. The scanners were not working, dogs had died. The port, it was free port. They were coming in. A lot of it had been packed here,” he stated.
Dogbey also recalled an earlier appearance on the same television programme, during which he warned that cocaine seizures involving Ghana-linked shipments in Europe could point to a much bigger trafficking problem.
He maintained that subsequent seizures had supported his earlier concerns.
“It was on your programme that I made mention that there was a lot of drugs. That the arrest that was done in Europe… it's just a tip of the iceberg, and that more was going to happen? Have I been vindicated or not?” he asked.
His comments come amid growing concerns about Ghana’s vulnerability to international narcotics trafficking, particularly following reports of cocaine consignments linked to the country being intercepted abroad.
The recent seizure of 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport has also raised questions about individuals and possible networks operating within Ghana.
A report by Lebanon-based news outlet Independent Arabia said Lebanese authorities contacted customs officials in Accra during investigations into the shipment. The report further alleged that the coordination uncovered a bribe paid to facilitate the consignment’s passage through individuals in Ghana.
NACOC, however, has said the arrest in Lebanon resulted from a controlled-delivery operation conducted in collaboration with Lebanese authorities to target individuals suspected of involvement at both ends of the supply chain.
The Commission has indicated that investigations are ongoing to identify other suspected accomplices.
Watch a video of his remarks below:
“Under Nana Akufo Addo, a lot of drugs came in.. let’s face the facts”- Larry Dogbey
— Jude Duncan (@mensaduncan) November 3, 2026
Editor of the Herald Newspaper says in the erstwhile administration, scanners at the port were destroyed, sniffer dogs died, and officials of NACOC were pulled from physical inspection of cargo https://t.co/mU0x3L7xSH
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