The interception
The Tema Regional Police Command, through its Marine Police Detachment at Ada, intercepted an outboard-powered wooden canoe on the River Volta at Tuanikopey Island at about 00:45 on Thursday 17 September 2026 during a routine patrol.[1][2] The canoe’s occupants fled when they saw the patrol, abandoning the vessel and its cargo.[1][2]
The cargo
A search of the canoe found 29 sacks holding 2,213 slabs of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, wrapped in yellow cellophane.[1][2] Officers also recovered fourteen 25-litre gallons, twelve of them filled with pre-mixed fuel, and two Yamaha outboard motors rated at 40 and 30 horsepower.[1][2] The suspected narcotics were conveyed to the Ada District Police headquarters, and the motors and fuel were being transferred there as evidence for the investigation.[1][2]
The hunt
The police command said it was working to identify and apprehend the people who abandoned the canoe and its contents.[1][2] It cautioned the public against trafficking and transporting narcotics, and asked anyone with knowledge of the canoe’s owners or occupants to contact the nearest police station.[2]
