The seized cocaine
Ghana has emerged as both a transit and destination country for heroin trafficking, with most of the drug originating from Afghanistan, according to the 2025 Global Organized Crime Index.
The report said seizures of inbound and outbound heroin shipments indicated that the drug was often imported into Ghana by East African nationals, with some consumed locally before the majority was repackaged and exported to the United States by Ghanaian nationals.
It further identified Ghanaian trafficking groups, working with their Nigerian counterparts, as influential players in the expansion of the global heroin trade and illicit drug markets across West Africa.
The report also raised concerns about the involvement of corrupt officials in facilitating the movement of heroin through Ghanaian seaports and airports.
According to the Index, heroin distribution and consumption, which were historically concentrated in the urban centres of Accra and Tema, are believed to have expanded across the country, including rural areas in northern Ghana.
The report’s assessment forms part of its wider review of organised crime and illicit markets in Ghana. In the 2025 Index, Ghana scored 5.50 for the heroin trade, while its overall criminality score was 5.77 and its criminal markets score was 6.03.
The report also identified Ghanaian organised crime groups as major participants in the global cocaine trade.
It said Brazil remained the primary source of cocaine imported by sea into Ghana, with consignments often concealed in sugar containers and transported through trans-shipment points such as Spain or Turkey before arriving at the country’s ports.
The main entry point is the Tema Port, while the Takoradi Port is also used, although to a lesser extent.
The report said cocaine seizures and media coverage of the trade had declined. It cited law enforcement officials and civil society stakeholders who suggested that political protection for illicit markets, particularly the cocaine trade, by sections of government was responsible for the reduction in visible trafficking.
The claim was presented as an assessment from those stakeholders rather than as an established finding by the report.
Cannabis also featured prominently in the country’s illicit drug market. The Index described Ghana as a prominent cannabis cultivation area in Africa and said cultivation had expanded following the country’s decision to permit cannabis for specified health and industrial purposes.
The report attributed part of the increase to a misunderstanding of the new legal regime.
It said cannabis seizures had risen and accounted for the bulk of drug interdictions in Ghana, with notable seizures of cannabis-laden cargo at the Accra International Airport and in border towns.
The report said growing international demand for Ghanaian high-THC cannabis had contributed to the trade, with North American and European markets identified as destinations. It identified the United Kingdom as the primary destination for Ghana’s cannabis exports.
The nation’s synthetic drug market was also described as significant, with Tramadol abuse and trafficking identified as a concern.
According to the report, the drug is mainly imported from India, and although its use was reportedly declining, the illegal trade had been associated with increased violence.
The report also said precursor chemicals intended for legitimate purposes were being diverted to criminal networks.
Synthetic drug use and trafficking were identified as prevalent in the Northern and Western Regions and the Volta Region.
Ghana was further described as a transit point for methamphetamine moving from Nigeria to South Africa, while the report said repeated suspicions of methamphetamine production in Ghana remained unconfirmed.
It also identified Ghana as a transit point for ephedrine, a precursor used in methamphetamine production, which is trafficked to production facilities, predominantly in Nigeria.
However, ephedrine flows were said to have declined, possibly due to changes in manufacturing methods in Nigeria.
By Ernest Kofi Adu