NACOC: Checks Find No Presidential Escort Among Suspects in €225m French Cocaine Case

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) says its preliminary background checks have found no evidence that any of the suspects currently in its custody in connection with the €225 million cocaine seizure in France is a presidential escort.

The clarification follows a claim by New Tafo Member of Parliament, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, that one of the suspects, Musah Atta, was allegedly part of the security detail of President John Dramani Mahama and the Vice President.

In a Facebook post on Friday, September 18, Mr Assafuah questioned how an individual allegedly linked to the presidential security detail could become associated with a cocaine trafficking case of such magnitude.

He also raised questions about how the alleged security operative could have gained access and who was responsible for overseeing the security arrangements.

However, Deputy Director-General of NACOC, Alexander Twum-Barimah, said the Commission’s checks into the backgrounds of suspects in its custody had not identified any of them as a presidential bodyguard.

Mr Twum-Barimah said NACOC had conducted background checks on all the suspects currently in its custody.

He explained that the Commission had not found any indication that any of the suspects served as a presidential escort.

According to him, if Musah Atta held such a role, further clarification would be required regarding his duties and official responsibilities.

Mr Twum-Barimah stressed that NACOC had established the backgrounds of the suspects in its custody but could not independently verify Mr Assafuah’s claim without additional information concerning the alleged security role of Musah Atta.

The Commission’s position comes as investigations continue into the cocaine shipment seized by French authorities, with attention focused on establishing the identities, roles and connections of individuals allegedly linked to the case.