BY Grace Zigah
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested three persons suspected of representing and facilitating the activities of Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos,” in Ghana, in an escalation of investigations into an alleged international cocaine-trafficking network operating across borders.
The arrests, announced by NACOC on September 14, 2026, follow the reported seizure by French Customs of a major cocaine shipment allegedly linked to a wider international network.
According to NACOC, the three suspects are currently in the Commission’s custody and are assisting investigators as authorities seek to establish their alleged roles in the trafficking operation and determine the extent of their links to Leijdekkers.
The Commission did not disclose the identities of the suspects, the exact location of their arrests or the specific activities they are alleged to have undertaken on behalf of the fugitive.
NACOC said the arrests reaffirm its position that Ghana will not be allowed to become a safe haven, transit point or operational base for international drug-trafficking organisations.
French Cocaine Seizure Triggers Investigation
The latest arrests come against the backdrop of increased international attention on cocaine consignments allegedly connected to Ghana.
French Customs recently reported the interception of a large cocaine shipment in France, with the consignment reportedly concealed in plastic waste.
The seizure has become a significant part of the latest investigation because of allegations that the shipment was connected to a wider trafficking network.
NACOC’s announcement indicates that investigators are now examining possible Ghanaian links to the network, including individuals suspected of acting as representatives or facilitators for Leijdekkers.
The Commission said its investigation would focus on the alleged roles of the three persons arrested and their possible involvement in the trafficking operation.
Who Is Bolle Jos?
Jos Leijdekkers, widely known by his nickname “Bolle Jos,” is a Dutch national who has been identified by European authorities as a fugitive wanted in connection with serious organised-crime and drug-trafficking allegations.
His name has previously appeared in international investigations into cocaine trafficking and organised criminal networks operating across Europe and other jurisdictions.
The latest NACOC statement, however, does not establish that Leijdekkers personally directed the specific shipment seized by French Customs. Instead, the Commission says the three arrested persons are suspected of representing and facilitating his activities in Ghana and that investigators are examining their alleged roles.
That distinction is important as the investigation remains ongoing and the suspects have not been convicted of any offence.
Ghana’s Role Under Scrutiny
The arrests add another dimension to the growing debate about Ghana’s possible use as a transit or operational point for international narcotics trafficking.
In recent months, several large drug seizures involving Ghana or shipments allegedly originating from Ghana have attracted attention both domestically and internationally.
The cases have included seizures involving cocaine and methamphetamine concealed within different forms of commercial cargo, raising concerns about the exploitation of Ghana’s legitimate trade and transportation networks by international criminal organisations.
The latest investigation suggests that authorities are now looking beyond the physical movement of narcotics to examine the people and infrastructure allegedly supporting the trade.
NACOC specifically said it would work with domestic and international law-enforcement partners to disrupt the people, finances and infrastructure sustaining the illicit drug trade.
That approach could broaden the investigation from individual shipments to the financial and logistical networks allegedly responsible for organising them.
Security Meeting Adds Urgency
The arrests also come just days after the Office of the President announced a high-level meeting on border security and narcotics control.
President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to convene the meeting at the Jubilee House on Thursday, September 17, 2026, with the country’s key institutions responsible for ports, airports, maritime security, intelligence, customs, policing and narcotics control expected to participate.
The meeting was called to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border-security systems and prevent the trafficking of narcotics and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.
The Presidency said the meeting would review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger-screening systems, inter-agency coordination and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking.
The timing of the meeting, coming amid the arrests of persons allegedly linked to the Bolle Jos network and the French cocaine seizure, gives the gathering an added significance.
Officials Ordered to Identify Security Gaps
The Presidential invitation requires each participating institution to be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer.
Participants have also been instructed to prepare brief assessments of existing security gaps and propose practical measures for improving intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening and joint enforcement operations.
Among those invited are the Minister for Finance, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Chief of Naval Staff, Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Police Service CID/INTERPOL, Director-General of NACOC and Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited.
Also expected at the meeting are operators of terminal scanners, Ghana Link Network Services Limited and Meridian Port Services Limited.
The broad range of institutions reflects the government’s concern that narcotics trafficking through Ghana’s borders cannot be addressed by a single agency.
From Drug Seizures to Network Investigations
The latest NACOC arrests could represent a shift in the focus of Ghana’s narcotics enforcement—from intercepting shipments to identifying the networks behind them.
International drug-trafficking organisations often rely on a chain of actors responsible for sourcing drugs, financing shipments, arranging transportation, securing commercial documentation and identifying destinations.
Investigating those links can potentially provide law-enforcement agencies with information that goes beyond a single seizure.
NACOC’s reference to disrupting the people, finances and infrastructure sustaining the drug trade suggests that investigators are seeking to target the broader support structure rather than limiting enforcement to the couriers or individuals found with narcotics.
The 2024 Baseline
The current concerns are also being viewed against earlier cocaine seizures recorded in Ghana.
On April 23, 2024, approximately 89.74kg of cocaine, packaged in 73 slabs, was reportedly intercepted at the Tema Swiss Port. The consignment was said to be bound for the Netherlands and was estimated to be worth about $3.5 million.
On June 10, 2024, authorities recorded another major seizure at Kotoka International Airport, involving approximately 166.88kg of cocaine. Two British nationals were linked to that case, with the shipment estimated at about $6.48 million.
Together, the two cases amounted to approximately 256.62kg of cocaine, with an estimated value of roughly $10 million to $12 million.
More recent cases have involved substantially larger consignments and different concealment methods, including commercial cargo.
