The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has warned that prematurely disclosing the identities of suspected drug traffickers could allow members of wider trafficking networks to escape or destroy evidence before investigators can reach them.
The Commission said drug trafficking is typically organised across multiple individuals and jurisdictions, making the timing of public disclosure critical to the success of investigations.
Acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations at NACOC, Francis Amoah, explained that announcing the name or photograph of a suspect immediately after an arrest could alert other members of the network that investigators were closing in.
“If you get a suspect just yesterday and you bring the suspect’s picture, you mention his or her name, what you are literally doing is that you’re shooting your own leg at the foot,” he said.
Mr Amoah made the comments on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 14, 2026, in response to calls for NACOC to adopt a “name and shame” policy following a series of high-profile cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.
He said publicity surrounding an arrest could prompt other suspects connected to the case to flee before investigators complete their operations.
“What you’re telling other people who may be involved is that the suspect has been arrested,” he said.
“And therefore, if you are linked or connected with the suspect in any way, you can run away. You can run,” he added.
Mr Amoah stressed that NACOC was not opposed to making information about suspects public but said disclosure must be guided by the stage of an investigation and the potential consequences for the wider case.
“It is not that as soon as you start your investigation, you’re naming and you’re shaming,” he said.
He explained that investigators assess the information available and determine what can safely be released without compromising intelligence or giving other suspects an opportunity to evade arrest.
“You evaluate, and you see that what information is appropriate for us as a commission to let the Ghanaian people know. And if you let the Ghanaian people know this, is it going to affect the investigations in any way?” he said.
His comments followed NACOC’s arrest of three suspects in Ghana after French authorities seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine valued at about €225 million.
NACOC said the suspects are allegedly linked to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos”, and are being held to assist investigations into their alleged involvement in the trafficking network.
According to Mr Amoah, the arrests were not the result of a sudden operation, as NACOC investigators had been monitoring the suspects and gathering intelligence on them for some time.
He said the Commission’s approach was therefore intended to protect ongoing intelligence-led operations and enable investigators to pursue other individuals who may be connected to the suspected trafficking network.
The Commission’s position effectively places investigative considerations ahead of immediate public disclosure, particularly in cases involving organised drug trafficking networks that may extend beyond Ghana’s borders.
