The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested 72 suspects and dismantled several drug dens following a series of intelligence-led operations across the Eastern and Greater Accra regions as part of a festive season security exercise dubbed Operation White Ember.
In a statement posted on the Commission’s official Facebook page, NACOC said the coordinated raids targeted well-known drug hotspots spanning Mamfe and Tutu in the Eastern Region and Madina Redco Flats, Zongo Junction, and the railway slums around Airport City in Accra.
The operation was extended on Boxing Day to Tema Community One and Teshie Nungua, where dozens of additional suspects were apprehended. The exercise was carried out with the support of NACOC’s K9 unit, which played a key role in detecting concealed narcotics.
As part of broader preventive measures during the holiday period, NACOC officers also conducted patrols at major shopping malls and popular beaches in Accra to curb drug-related activities associated with festive gatherings.
In total, officers seized quantities of ecstasy, methamphetamine, and cannabis-infused alcoholic beverages, substances which NACOC warned pose a serious threat to public health, especially among the youth.
Beyond the arrests and seizures, the Commission underscored the wider social impact of the operation, stating that the intercepted drugs potentially represent “thousands of lives saved from the brink of addiction” during the festive season.
Residents in affected communities reportedly welcomed the exercise, with many gathering to cheer officers as suspected drug peddlers were removed from their neighbourhoods. NACOC officials also took the opportunity to conduct on-site public education, sensitising residents on the dangers of drug abuse and the broader implications of narcotics on community safety and development.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the momentum of Operation White Ember, assuring the public that similar intelligence-led raids will continue in the coming days and months.
NACOC stressed that its ongoing efforts are aimed at ensuring that the festive season and beyond remain a time of safety, joy, and wellbeing for all Ghanaians.
