Police in the Northern Region have arrested a 53-year-old man following the seizure of hundreds of boxes of tramadol and other restricted opioids in one of the region’s largest pharmaceutical enforcement operations in recent years.
Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti, who operates an over-the-counter (OTC) chemical shop near Victory Cinema in Tamale, was taken into custody on Tuesday, July 15, during a mid-afternoon raid led by the Northern Regional Police Command. Authorities said the operation was based on actionable intelligence pointing to the illegal distribution of restricted pharmaceuticals.
A search of Sayuti’s business premises revealed 368 blisters of tramadol and 298 blisters of tramaking—both synthetic opioids classified as controlled substances under Ghanaian law. Police expanded the investigation to his residence in the Fuo suburb, where they uncovered a warehouse storing 447 boxes of tramadol and 11 boxes of tramaking.
The volume of the seizure has raised alarm among regulators and public health advocates in Ghana, where misuse of tramadol has been a growing concern, particularly among youth populations.
Sayuti appeared before a Tamale court on Wednesday, July 16, where he pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession and unauthorized sale of restricted drugs. According to a source close to the proceedings, the defendant collapsed during the hearing and was transported to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment. He has since been remanded into custody and is scheduled to reappear in court on July 21.
Officials say the bust underscores the continued challenges facing Ghana’s pharmaceutical regulatory system, particularly in tracking and controlling distribution of opioids in informal retail settings.
