NACOC arrests Nigerian drug trafficking suspect in Accra

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested a 56-year-old Nigerian national, Uchechukwu Chima, following an intelligence-led operation conducted at Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra, Ghana.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Francis Opoku Amoah, the Acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations at NACOC.

According to the statement, during the operation, a search of the suspect’s hideout led to the discovery of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

The statement added that field tests later confirmed the substances as cocaine and heroin. The confiscated drugs, comprising approximately 192 kilogrammes of cocaine and 0.42 kilogrammes of heroin, are valued at an estimated US$2.1 million on the street market.

The suspect had been under NACOC’s radar for an extended period and is believed to have played a key role in earlier seizures and arrests linked to drug trafficking activities in the country.

Authorities described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle drug networks operating within Ghana.

NACOC reiterated its commitment to combating the illicit drug trade and maintaining Ghana’s reputation as a hostile ground for drug trafficking operations.

The statement reads, “An intelligence led operation by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, resulted in the arrest of a 56 year old Nigerian, Uchechukwu Chima at Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra. 

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“A search conducted by the NACOC team at the suspect’s hideout uncovered substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.  Field tests conducted on the  suspected substance proved positive for cocaine and heroin, both narcotic drugs. The suspected narcotic substances, with a total weight of about 192kg of cocaine and 0.42kg of heroin, are estimated at a street value of  Two Million, One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty United States Dollars (US$2.1 Million). 

“The suspect, Uchechukwu Chima who has been a target for NACOC for some time now, is noted to be the brain behind some seizures/arrests made by NACOC in the past. NACOC by this seizure and arrest, has taken this substantial quantity of drugs from the street, saving millions of lives of people who would have otherwise perished from abusing these hard drugs.

“NACOC remains committed to making Ghana an unprofitable destination for drug trafficking and thus protecting the safety and well-being of all Ghanaians and the international community.”

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