The Ghana Police Service has arrested 41 suspects following an intelligence-led operation targeting criminal and narcotics-related activities at Lapaz and Chantan in Accra, with quantities of suspected narcotic substances recovered during the exercise.
The operation, conducted by the Police Special Operations Team (SOT) at approximately noon on Thursday, October 15, 2026, resulted in the arrest of 35 males and six females .
Searches and Recoveries
According to police statements, searches conducted on the suspects and within the operational areas led to the retrieval of quantities of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic substances . The operation formed part of ongoing efforts by the Ghana Police Service to identify and disrupt suspected criminal networks and address drug-related offences in communities across the capital .
Investigation Underway
All 41 suspects remain in police custody and are assisting with investigations. Police said officers are working to establish the source, ownership, and intended use of the suspected substances .
“The investigations are ongoing to establish the source, ownership and intended use of the suspected narcotic substances, after which appropriate legal action will be taken against any suspect found culpable,” the police statement said .
Broader Police Operations
The Lapaz and Chantan operation is the latest in a series of intelligence-led exercises conducted by the Police Special Operations Team across Ghana in 2026. In March, the team arrested 19 suspects in Kumasi during a swoop targeting criminal networks, seizing quantities of suspected narcotics including dried leaves believed to be Indian hemp and other substances . A larger operation in the Ashanti Region between June 8 and 17 led to the arrest of 186 suspects linked to organised crime, including human trafficking and narcotics trafficking .
The frequency of such operations underscores the Police Service’s heightened focus on drug-related offences in urban and peri-urban communities. Lapaz, a busy transport and commercial hub in the Greater Accra Region, and nearby Chantan have been identified as areas of concern for narcotics-related activity.
Police have not yet announced charges against the 41 suspects, and investigations continue. The arrests do not establish guilt, as the allegations remain subject to investigation and the applicable legal process .
