The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has seized a massive consignment of undeclared Tramadol tablets at the Tema Port, leading to the arrest of nine public officers.
The intercepted container contained 299 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets, totalling 146,932,000 tablets in 250mg and 225mg strengths.
The entire consignment weighed an estimated 34,847.2 kilogrammes.
The nine individuals arrested and granted police enquiry bail include five officers from the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), one officer from the Narcotics Control Commission, one port security officer, one officer from the Energy Commission, and one from the Ghana Standards Authority.
According to GRA officials, the seizure was the result of credible intelligence gathered by the Preventive wing of the Customs Division.
The 40-foot container, bearing number TGHU6228715 and cleared under Bill of Entry number 40226151187, was detained on February 26, 2026, and transferred to a Customs-controlled facility in Tema for thorough examination.
The shipment, which originated from the United Arab Emirates, was officially declared to contain assorted household items such as water kettles, kitchen blenders, pressing irons, energy-saving bulbs, and polypropylene material.
However, a joint re-examination exercise conducted on March 1, 2026, by Customs officers in collaboration with the Central Revenue Monitoring Team uncovered large quantities of Tramadol tablets carefully concealed among the declared goods.
The importer and the customs declarant have been handed over to the Police to assist with further investigations, while the seized consignment remains securely under Customs control.
In a statement, the Ghana Revenue Authority reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting national security, safeguarding public health, and upholding the integrity of Ghana’s revenue collection and border management systems.
Investigations are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the importation attempt and any possible involvement of additional persons.