FDA officials, along with border security agents, arrested Hawa Fuseini at the Aflao border for carrying unregistered aphrodisiacs. She was a passenger on a Nagode Transport vehicle (TG 5846 BN) headed from Lomé to Accra.
The arrest occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Friday during a joint inspection. The vehicle, driven by Babayara Rashid, carried pharmaceutical products concealed in a Cream Cracker biscuit box.
Officers discovered Viagra (sildenafil), Spanish Gold Fly, Diazepam, Rohypnol, and Tramadol Red. Although her Ghana Card showed the name Hawa Fuseini, the passenger manifest listed her as “Assindo Awa.”
Volta Regional FDA Director, Gorden Akurugu, said the concealment was deliberate. He explained that smuggling through inland borders violates FDA regulations. “These drugs are unregistered and were carried by someone without a license,” he said.
He stressed that only Kotoka International Airport and Tema Harbour are approved entry points for importing pharmaceutical products.
Mr. Akurugu advised importers to follow legal procedures to avoid prosecution. He also urged neighboring countries to stay alert and stop smugglers from using their territories as transit routes.
He noted that FDA now operates around the clock at all borders. “We inspect every vehicle and shipment to prevent the flow of fake and abused drugs,” he added.
Aflao District Police Crime Officer, ASP Eric Bamfo, confirmed the arrest. He said the suspect would face court on Monday, May 12, 2025.
