NACOC intercepts trucks carrying sodium cyanide to Burkina Faso
The Narcotics Control Commission’s Upper West Regional Command has intercepted two trucks carrying large quantities of unapproved and hazardous substances at Kaleo in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region.
The operation, which took place on Sunday, February 1, was carried out following actionable intelligence indicating that the vehicles were bound for Burkina Faso.
In a statement released on February 23, 2026, NACOC disclosed that officers stopped two Rhino Kia trucks with registration numbers GS 5699-18 and GC 1871-11. Upon searching the vehicles, 58 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 182 cartons of unapproved pharmaceutical drugs, and 40 drums of sodium cyanide were discovered.
“The Upper West Regional Command of the Narcotics Control Commission, acting on Intelligence, has intercepted two Rhino Kia trucks loaded with various unapproved substances, including sodium cyanide, foreign cigarettes and assorted pharmaceuticals at Kaleo in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region,” the statement said.
It added that the consignments were destined for Burkina Faso and were being transported without the necessary documentation or regulatory approval.
“The items which were bound for Burkina Faso were being transported in two trucks with registration numbers GS 5699-18 and GC 1871-11. 58 cartons of cigarettes, 182 cartons of unapproved pharmaceutical drugs and 40 drums of sodium cyanide were loaded in the trucks.”
NACOC indicated that its officers had received intelligence regarding the movement of the vehicles before carrying out the interception.
“On Sunday, 01 February 2026, officers of the Upper West Regional Command received intelligence information about the two vehicles carrying the consignments and heading to Burkina Faso. A search conducted on the trucks revealed that they were transporting the items without documentation or approval.”
The drivers and their mates have since been handed over to the Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Authorities say the seizure forms part of intensified efforts to curb the illegal transportation of hazardous chemicals, illicit pharmaceuticals and smuggled goods across Ghana’s northern borders, amid growing concerns about the misuse of restricted substances within the sub-region.
