A report by the British news network, BBC, revealed that two British citizens were arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine worth $6.48m (£5m) out of Ghana.
Authorities seized around 166kg (366lbs) of the substance at Kotoka International Airport in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Monday as both suspects prepared to board a British Airways flight to London Gatwick Airport.
The Cocaine they intended to smuggle had been divided into 72 slabs, and the Ghanaian Narcotic Control Commission claims the two concealed it within six pieces of luggage. The sting operation was carried out in collaboration with the UK Crime Agency and the commission.
According to the BBC’s report, Ghana has become a major hub for smuggling illegal drugs to the United States and Europe, which has resulted in heightened port surveillance by the police.
Crimes by foreigners in Africa
This is the third instance reported this year where foreigners in Africa have been apprehended by African authorities for egregious crimes.
On May 19, 2024, a faction led by Christian Malanga, a self-exiled Congolese politician, attempted to topple the current government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among the coup plotters were six individuals with foreign passports, two of which are American citizens. These foreign criminals now potentially face the death penalty.
Another incident happened earlier this year in April where Zambian authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), which led the charge, the police, the immigration department, and the anti-terrorism unit, discovered a large-scale criminal operation following a multi-agency raid on a Chinese-owned business in Roma, an affluent suburb of the capital, Lusaka.
There were 11 SIM boxes found during the investigation; these are call-routing devices that function with real phone networks. According to Mr. Banda, these boxes are usable “for fraudulent activities, including internet fraud and online scams”.
Additionally, over 13,000 international and domestic SIM cards were seized. This month, the culprits received long prison sentences from the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
