NACOC Boss Exposes How Drug Lords Hide Cash

The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Brigadier General Maxwell Obuaba Mantey, has revealed that suspected drug traffickers own hotels and estates in Ghana, but prolonged court cases are preventing the Commission from accessing assets believed to be linked to their illegal activities.

He made the disclosure before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), explaining that suspected traffickers use sophisticated methods to conceal their wealth and make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to seize properties allegedly acquired through drug trafficking.

The revelation raises concern about how proceeds from the narcotics trade may be hidden in properties while legal battles delay efforts to recover the assets.

“These guys are very smart. They are not like murderers, or they are not like common thieves. We’ve arrested people who are in our custody. They have hotels, they have estates, but the cases are still pending,” he told the committee.

Brigadier General Mantey said lengthy legal proceedings, including appeals filed by affected parties, had become a major obstacle to recovering assets suspected of being linked to drug trafficking.

He cited a case in which NACOC secured a court ruling concerning confiscated assets, only for an appeal to be filed shortly before the deadline, effectively halting the process.

The problem, he explained, extends beyond buildings and estates to money held in accounts pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

“We have monies in accounts in the name of confiscated cash. You cannot touch it,” he said.

The delays mean that even when NACOC secures a favourable ruling, the Commission may still have to wait before it can access the assets or benefit financially from their recovery.

The NACOC boss expressed hope that specialised courts would speed up narcotics-related cases, allowing prosecutions to be concluded and confiscated assets recovered more efficiently.

For the Commission, the challenge is not only to arrest suspected traffickers but also to ensure that wealth linked to illegal activities does not remain beyond the reach of the law.

The disclosure came as PAC examined NACOC’s financial performance for the 2024 financial year, with Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare questioning the Commission’s revenue figures.

She raised concerns about the GH¢1.1 million recorded under other income, given NACOC’s responsibility for fighting narcotics trafficking and recovering assets linked to illicit activities.

Figures presented to the committee showed that NACOC recorded total revenue of approximately GH¢180.95 million. This comprised GH¢179 million in government subvention, GH¢598,000 in internally generated funds (IGF) and GH¢1.1 million in other income.

Its expenditure stood at approximately GH¢180.9 million, leaving only a marginal surplus.

Madam Osei-Asare expressed concern about the Commission’s limited internally generated revenue and the proportion of its income consumed by expenditure, particularly compensation.

She urged NACOC to improve its financial performance while strengthening its fight against drug trafficking.

Interior Minister Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka attributed some of the Commission’s financial challenges to operational constraints and delays in generating revenue.

He disclosed that NACOC’s workforce was expected to reach approximately 2,500 following the addition of about 1,200 recruits undergoing training.

The minister also said efforts to generate revenue through licences for industrial cannabis cultivation had produced limited results because of strict regulatory requirements. Only about five licences had been issued at the time, despite numerous applications.

Other revenue sources include fees for precursor chemical licences, renewals and applications, as well as certain security-related services at airports and seaports.

Officials told the committee that under the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), proceeds from recovered assets are distributed among designated beneficiaries.

Under the arrangement explained to the committee, NACOC receives 50 per cent, the Consolidated Fund receives 30 per cent and the remaining 20 per cent covers costs.

However, the Commission’s ability to benefit from these assets depends on the conclusion of the relevant legal proceedings.

Madam Osei-Asare urged NACOC to live up to its mandate and ensure Ghana does not become a transit point for illicit drugs.