Interior Minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has disclosed that preliminary investigations into the methamphetamine shipment from Ghana which was intercepted in Australia have implicated some government officials suspected of facilitating the concealment and movement of the illicit drugs.
Appearing before Parliament’s Assurance Committee, the Minister said investigations are ongoing and that several public officials are currently being interrogated over their alleged involvement in the case.
“Our men are on the ground. Like this Australia thing that you mentioned in passing, the Director-General will tell you, even as at yesterday, we were still interrogating a lot of government officials,” he said.
Mr. Muntaka indicated that the initial findings point to possible internal collusion, with some officials within the country’s security and border management systems suspected of manipulating processes to aid the movement of the narcotics.
He, however, declined to disclose further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigations.
“You have been Minister for Defence and you know the importance of evidence. It’s not everything that I can put out at this stage because we are still investigating and we are still interrogating people,” he stated.
According to the Minister, there are several inconsistencies emerging from the investigations that suggest the involvement of officials within the system.
“There’s a lot not adding up. You could see that there’s some involvement of some people within the system. And we are working at it to try to reach out to as many people as possible that we think might have played one role or the other,” he added.
Mr. Muntaka assured Parliament that the government is taking steps to tighten security at the country’s entry and exit points to prevent similar incidents.
He noted that while investments in modern security equipment are important, the effectiveness of such systems ultimately depends on the integrity of the personnel operating them.
“Because even if you put all these gadgets, remember that they are going to be operated by human beings. So, if the wrong persons are sitting there, you can bring all the gadgets in this world, it will still not be safe,” he stressed.
The Interior Minister further revealed that security agencies have reviewed their operational procedures, including the deployment and rotation of personnel, to reduce the risk of internal compromise.
“We have changed our modus operandi, the way we operate, the way we place personnel. All of it is to make sure that we secure our borders,” he said.
Background
Three people have been charged in Australia following the interception of about 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment from Ghana, in a seizure authorities say prevented drugs worth an estimated A$296 million from reaching Australian streets.
A British actress, who appeared in an Eastenders spin-off and a Jason Statham movie, has been charged over her alleged role in the failed importation.
Emaa Hussen, 34, appeared in a Sydney court on Thursday, June 18 after she was charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia. She was refused bail last month after being charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched an investigation in April 2026 after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers detected anomalies in two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany from Ghana.
The shipment, declared as bags of charcoal, was subjected to x-ray screening, during which officers discovered a white crystallised substance. Preliminary tests returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
According to the AFP, forensic testing later confirmed the consignment contained about 320 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of A$296 million.
Authorities removed the drugs before allowing the shipment to proceed to a storage facility in Girraween on April 20, 2026, as part of a controlled operation.
Investigators allege the UK national attended the facility and supervised a group of men as they unpacked the container. Several bags were subsequently loaded into a vehicle and transported to a house in Blacktown.
