Police arrest man for using ' ambulance' to traffic cannabis in Accra

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested 39-year-old Kwame Mananyi Tuanda after he was caught allegedly transporting large quantities of cannabis in a vehicle disguised as a private ambulance.

Police say Tuanda was picked up on September 10, 2025, following a surveillance operation. Officers intercepted a Hyundai Hiace, registration number GX 277-20, outside Jamboree Drinking Spot at Labadi Maami. The suspect, who was standing by the vehicle, claimed ownership of both the ambulance and its contents.

A search revealed several sacks filled with dried leaves believed to be cannabis. According to the police, the haul contained 700 parcels and 473 wrappers of the substance.

Investigations suggest the ambulance was loaded in Kpando in the Volta North Region before being driven to Accra for distribution. Tuanda reportedly confessed that he had been in the drug trade since 2024.

The police further disclosed that Tuanda originally bought the vehicle as a regular minibus, later fixing a siren and branding it as an ambulance. Before that, he allegedly used a Toyota Highlander for the same trafficking operations. Aside from drugs, the vehicle was also used to transport dead bodies.

The Hyundai Hiace has since been impounded, and the seized substances will be sent to the Police Forensic Science Laboratory for testing. Tuanda is currently being processed for court.

In a statement signed by Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs, the Police Command warned against the abuse of service vehicles for illegal purposes.

“The Command cautions the public against the misuse of legitimate service vehicles for criminal activities and reaffirms its commitment to clamp down on drug trafficking,” the release said.