The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has reinstated staff members implicated in a cocaine smuggling incident at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The smuggling case involved 8.5 kilograms of cocaine, which was allegedly transported aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight on March 23, 2024, with assistance from a GACL employee.
The drugs were intercepted at Brussels Airport in Belgium, leading to the immediate interdiction of the implicated staff.
During a recent session with the Government Assurances Committee in Parliament, Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah revealed that the staff have been cleared of wrongdoing.
Mr Asiamah told the committee “No they are not on interdiction. They have been cleared. Maybe per our code of conduct, per our standards maybe they were not culpable…We did so the report came, and we said that they were not culpable and the fact that they were not culpable does not mean that they slept on their job.”
When asked if any employees at KIA were responsible for facilitating the drug smuggling, Asiamah refrained from providing a definitive answer.
In April, GACL had suspended all staff connected to the smuggling case following the arrest of Proeger Delgey Bianca, a Dutch national, who was caught with the cocaine at Brussels Airport. Reports indicate that she was able to transport the drugs through KIA on the date in question.
In an official statement issued on April 10, GACL announced that investigations were ongoing and reiterated warnings to employees against assisting passengers in smuggling activities. The management emphasized that violations could lead to serious consequences, including dismissal and prosecution.
GACL remains committed to maintaining safety and security at the airport, collaborating with relevant stakeholders to uphold operational integrity.