Majority Leader James Agalga has said that the number of arrests recorded by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) increased from 73 in 2024 to 217 in 2025, representing a 197% rise under the NDC government.

According to him, the 217 arrests were made in 165 cases as part of NACOC’s enforcement operations in 2025.

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Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 24, 2026, Agalga said the figure was the biggest annual rise in NACOC arrests under the current government.

“In 2024, NACOC recorded 73 arrests nationwide… Under this government, NACOC enforcement operations in 2025 produced 217 arrests across 165 cases. An increase of 197% over the largest annual enforcement increase in the commission's history,” he said.

He indicated that the increase in arrests was accompanied by seizures of narcotic and controlled substances.

Agalga said NACOC seized 1,497.75 kilogrammes of narcotic substances in 2025, with an estimated street value of US$5,244,065.

He added that 61,974 units of controlled substances, including pharmaceutical opiates and new psychoactive substances, were also seized, as well as money and other assets suspected to be linked to drug trafficking.

“Denying traffickers the fruits of their labour, asset-based enforcement resulted in cash seizures of 6.93 million Ghana cedis and USD 440,382 and the seizure of 19.72 kilogrammes of gold believed to be used for suspected drug money laundering,” he added.

He further disclosed that 32,122.42 kilogrammes of narcotics were destroyed, including more than five million Tramadol tablets.

Agalga attributed the increase in enforcement to what he described as institutional changes introduced by the government under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.

He cited new leadership at NACOC, the expansion of the Commission’s presence into communities and improved cooperation with other security agencies.

The agencies mentioned include the Ghana Police Service, National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Immigration Service and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

He said the collaboration had helped NACOC carry out intelligence-led operations in communities with high levels of drug-related activity.

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“The 2025 performance above was due to the concrete institutional changes this government has put in place.

“The new leadership with an assertive operational posture since March 2025, the operationalisation of new commands that brought the presence of NACOC into communities that had never had the commission’s presence before, and improved inter-agency collaboration between NACOC and the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Intelligence Bureau, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Economic and Organised Crime Office, which resulted in 72 arrests in high prevalence communities in Ghana, an intelligence-led community operation,” he concluded.

MAG/BAI

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