By Murtala Issah
A 53-year-old man, Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti, has been convicted and fined one hundred and sixty-eight thousand Ghana cedis (GHS 168,000) for unlawful possession of restricted drugs, following an intelligence-led operation in Tamale. The arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on the illegal opioid trade in the Northern Regional capital.
Alhaji Sayuti pleaded guilty to counts of possession of restricted drugs and the prohibited sale of restricted drugs. The court, presided over by His Lordship Francis Asubayere, convicted him on his own plea and fined him 14,000 penalty units on each count, to run concurrently — translating to GHS 168,000. In default of payment, he faces a minimum of 15 years in jail.
Sources at the Attorney General’s Department told GBC News that Alhaji Sayuti will now face separate charges at the Tamale High Court in another opioid-related case.
According to police sources, Sayuti was apprehended in two separate operations that led to the recovery of 447 boxes of tramadol (120mg), 11 boxes of tramaking (120mg), and an additional 336 blisters of tramadol (120mg). These drugs are banned in Ghana but are smuggled into the country through a criminal network involving both local and foreign gangs.
Alhaji Sayuti’s arrest is the result of weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering by law enforcement agencies, who say the operation forms part of a broader campaign to disrupt the supply and distribution of illicit drugs in Tamale and the surrounding areas.
The illegal opioid trade has been on the rise in Northern Ghana in recent years, with health professionals and community leaders raising the alarm over its impact on youth, public safety, and the healthcare system. Authorities have responded with increased enforcement, community education, and inter-agency collaboration.
While Alhaji Sayuti’s conviction is being hailed as a victory in the war against narcotics, stakeholders continue to call for a holistic approach — combining law enforcement with addiction support services, public education, and regulation of pharmaceutical supply chains.
