The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has intercepted a shipment of contraband opioids at Tema Port, intensifying the country’s crackdown on illegal drug imports.
The confiscation, which took place before noon today, involved several boxes of unlicensed medications. There were 26 cartons of Rahol Tapentadol 250 mg, 160 cartons of Tafradol Tapentadol 120 mg, 40 cartons of Timaking Tapentadol 120 mg, 4 cartons of Timaking Tapentadol 250 mg, 190 cartons of Diazole Lp[eramide 2 mg and 320 cartons of Chlorpheniramine Maleate.
The drugs are worth approximately GH₵20 million. The shipment was en route to Niger, its final destination.
Speaking to the media, Health Minister Mintah Akandoh reiterated the government’s commitment to combating drug smuggling and warned against the use of unauthorized entry points for importing pharmaceuticals.
“There are only two designated areas for the import and export of medication – Tema Port and Kotoka International Airport. Drugs are not imported through our land borders,” he stated, urging security agencies and stakeholders to seize any medications illegally brought in through land borders.
The Minister also disclosed that swift legal action would be taken to obtain a court order for the proper disposal of the impounded drugs. Meanwhile, authorities have launched a search for those responsible for smuggling the opioids into the country.
The seizure comes at a critical time, as Ghana intensifies efforts to curb the influx of illicit opioids. A recent BBC Africa Eye investigation exposed Aveo Pharmaceuticals, an Indian-based company, for manufacturing and illegally exporting highly addictive opioid medications to West Africa. These drugs, disguised as legitimate prescriptions, contain a dangerous mix of tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant banned in Europe due to its high potential for addiction.
This unregulated combination, which has no medical approval anywhere in the world, poses severe health risks, including respiratory distress, seizures, and fatal overdoses. Despite these dangers, the drugs have flooded markets in Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, where they are being abused as low-cost street narcotics.
Reacting to the development, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has strongly condemned the illegal importation of opioids and called for a multi-agency investigation to uncover the perpetrators behind the smuggling operations.
“If any local pharmaceutical company is found to have breached regulatory protocols, appropriate sanctions should be enforced to maintain the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain in Ghana,” PSGH stated in a press release dated February 24.
Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has also taken decisive action by revoking the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification of Aveo Pharmaceuticals after linking the company to illegal opioid distribution in the region.
As part of the regulatory crackdown, the FDA has ordered Samos Pharma, a Ghana-based importer, to sever ties with Aveo Pharmaceuticals and Westfin International. Additionally, it has suspended the registration of six products from Masters Pharmaceutical Limited, which had planned to use Aveo as a contract manufacturer.
With investigations underway and enforcement measures tightening, Ghana’s authorities are signaling a zero-tolerance stance against the illegal trade in opioids, vowing to hold those responsible accountable.
