Business mogul, Osei Kwame Despite, has laughed off claims that he was arrested by operatives of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), following days of intense online speculation.
Confusion erupted after NACOC declined to disclose the identity of a suspect arrested over an alleged cocaine in gari bust at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
In the early hours of Wednesday, February 11, 2026, reports indicated that an unnamed individual had been picked up for allegedly attempting to smuggle illicit drugs out of the country, concealed in packaged food products.
Statements attributed to a NACOC official described the suspect as a manager of a “hugely popular Ghanaian packaged food brand” — a detail that quickly set social media abuzz, with users attempting to identify both the person and the company involved.
As the rumours gained traction, some online users mentioned prominent business figures, including the CEO of Despite Media, Osei Kwame Despite.
However, in a video circulating on Thursday, February 12, 2026, the businessman appeared unbothered.
Stepping out of his black Rolls Royce Cullinan, dressed in black and believed to be attending a funeral in Kumasi, he exchanged banter with a blogger from Plus 1 TV.
“I’ve been arrested and you didn’t tell me,” he joked.
Meanwhile, NACOC has sought to clarify the matter and in an interview with TV3 Ghana, Deputy Director-General Alexander Twum-Barimah stated that those arrested in connection with the cocaine case are not managers, employees, or in any way linked to the popular food brands whose products were allegedly used to conceal the drugs.
Despite the clarification, the Commission’s initial refusal to name the suspect appears to have fuelled the wave of public speculation.