ACCRA — A month of targeted police raids has ended with 192 suspects in custody. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Special Operations Team made the arrests in a series of intelligence-led operations between October 2 and 29, 2026, mainly across the Greater Accra and Eastern regions.

The team recovered substances suspected to be narcotic drugs, unregistered pharmaceutical products, firearms, ammunition and other items, the Ghana Police Service said in a statement posted on Facebook on Friday, October 30.

The biggest single sweep took place at Teshie on October 22, where 102 people, 93 men and nine women, were picked up.

Where the police struck

In Greater Accra, the operations covered New Town, Dansoman, Weija, Tudu, James Town, Shukura, Okaishie, Lapaz, Chantan, Odawna, Teshie, Avenor and Fadama. Here are the key raids, according to the police:

  • Okaishie Drug Lane (October 9): 8 arrests. Police seized unregistered pharmaceutical drugs, including Tramadol and Rohypnol.
  • Lapaz and Chantan (October 15): 41 arrests, with quantities of dried leaves suspected to be narcotics recovered.
  • Teshie (October 22): 102 arrests. Police recovered compressed dried substances suspected to be narcotics, seven bottles of nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") and a bottle of codeine-based cough syrup. Eight suspected key drug peddlers were handed over to the Drug Law Enforcement Unit.
  • Odawna: A 52-year-old businessman was arrested after surveillance. Police say substances suspected to be cocaine and other narcotics were found at his hideout.
  • Fadama and Shukura (October 28–29): 2 arrests. Exhibits included four parcels of suspected narcotic leaves, seven cartridges, a pump-action magazine, a dagger and a machete.
  • Alabonu, Asutuare: 3 arrests of people suspected to be members of a vigilante group.

Other operations at New Town, Dansoman, Weija, Tudu and James Town led to further arrests and the recovery of suspected drugs, pharmaceutical products and processing equipment.

In the Eastern Region

The team also carried out operations in the Eastern Region, arresting four suspects and recovering a pump-action shotgun, ammunition and substances suspected to be Indian hemp (marijuana) and Tramadol.

The drug problem behind the raids

The seizures point to a growing worry in Ghana's cities: the abuse of Tramadol, codeine cough syrups and nitrous oxide among young people, alongside cannabis and harder drugs. These substances are often sold openly in some neighbourhoods, and their misuse has been linked to addiction, crime and public health problems.

What happens next

The police say all 192 suspects remain in custody and are assisting with investigations. Efforts are ongoing to identify others connected to the activities under investigation.

The suspects have not yet been charged or convicted, and all are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The substances recovered are described as suspected narcotics and will be subject to laboratory testing.

How to help

The police continue to rely on information from the public. If you have information about drug dealing, illegal weapons or other crimes in your community, you can contact the police on the emergency numbers 191 or 18555.

GhanaNews24.com will follow up as the cases progress.