The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has launched a series of intelligence-driven operations across the Eastern and Greater Accra regions, dismantling multiple drug dens under a festive season initiative dubbed Operation White Ember. In a statement shared on its Facebook page, the Commission noted that the coordinated raids targeted notorious drug hotspots ranging from Mamfe and Tutu in the Eastern Region to Madina Redco Flats, Zongo Junction, and the railway slums near Airport City in Accra.
On Boxing Day, the crackdown was extended to Tema Community One and Teshie Nungua, where dozens of suspects were apprehended and illicit substances confiscated, aided by NACOC’s K9 unit. Additional patrols were mounted at major shopping centers and popular beaches in the capital to suppress drug-related activities during the holiday season.
In all, 72 suspects were arrested during the operations, with exhibits recovered including ecstasy, methamphetamine and cannabis laced alcoholic beverages. Beyond the arrests and seizures, NACOC highlighted the wider social impact of the exercise, noting that the drugs intercepted potentially represent “thousands of lives saved from the brink of addiction” during the festive season.
Officers also engaged residents in affected communities, many of whom gathered to cheer the removal of suspected drug peddlers from their neighbourhoods.
As part of the operation, NACOC conducted on-site public education, sensitising residents on the dangers of drug abuse and the impact of narcotics on community safety.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to sustaining the momentum of Operation White Ember, assuring the public that similar raids would continue in the days and months ahead to ensure that the festive season and beyond remain a time of safety, joy and wellbeing for all Ghanaians.
Source: Jemima Okang Addae
