Beirut:Accra Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has raised concerns regarding the Narcotics Control Commission’s (NACOC) account of a significant cocaine bust at Lebanon’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. The commission had claimed the operation was a joint effort with Lebanese authorities.
According to Ghana Web, the concerns emerged following the arrest of a Syrian national at Beirut airport, who was found with 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in two suitcases. NACOC stated that the arrest resulted from a joint controlled delivery operation involving drug law enforcement authorities in Ghana and Lebanon, aimed at identifying and apprehending those involved in the drug supply chain.
Simons, however, questioned NACOC's account in a post on X, noting that Lebanese authorities' information seemed to contradict some aspects of the announcement. He expressed initial relief upon reading NACOC's statement, which turned into concern after examining reports from Lebanon, especially the absence of any mention of Ghanaian narcotics authorities.
Simons outlined several points of contention, including the lack of acknowledgment from Lebanese authorities regarding NACOC's involvement. He noted that Lebanon's anti-narcotics unit, typically involved in such operations, was not mentioned. Additionally, reports indicated that Lebanese Customs and General Security conducted the operation, with no reference to Ghanaian cooperation.
The Lebanese Prime Minister praised coordination between Lebanese agencies without mentioning Ghana. Furthermore, Simons highlighted a Lebanese media report suggesting a bribe might have been paid at Accra airport, raising questions about the integrity of the controlled delivery process.
Simons argued that under Ghanaian law, a controlled delivery would require NACOC's supervision, and questioned the process's transparency and the communication between the involved parties. He also pointed out that key suspects related to the operation were not in NACOC custody, and questioned the level of surveillance on the suspect's contacts in Ghana.
Simons called for a joint press statement from NACOC and Lebanon's Internal Security Force to address the concerns and clarify the discrepancies between NACOC's account and the information from Lebanese authorities.