‘Build me a house and I’ll expose drug traffickers’ – NACOC boss recounts informant’s demand

The Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, has revealed that someone once asked him to build a house in exchange for information on drug related activities.

Appearing before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on July 7, 2026, he said the incident highlights a growing trend where some people expect money or other rewards before sharing information with security agencies.

“There was a time somebody came to me and said, if I could build him a house, he would help me do a lot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that,” he told the Committee.

Major General Mantey said such demands make it harder for NACOC to carry out intelligence led operations against drug trafficking.

He explained that drug traffickers are constantly changing their methods to avoid detection, making reliable information from the public more important than ever.

“Each day, the traffickers evolve new strategies and try to go ahead of us. They connect, and they cooperate among themselves on how to outwit us,” he said.

He added that although NACOC depends heavily on public intelligence, some informants now demand payment before providing information.

“But as my minister said, we base most of our measures on intelligence. The only thing is that Ghanaians have now become a bit demanding, so when they send you intelligence, they demand money,” he said.

Despite the challenge, Major General Mantey said NACOC remains committed to working with the public and other stakeholders to fight drug trafficking through intelligence driven operations.

His comments come after Australian authorities intercepted 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in a charcoal shipment from Ghana.

He stressed that continued public cooperation is essential to stop Ghana from being used as a transit point for international drug trafficking.