By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old man, Kwame Mananyi Tuanda, for allegedly trafficking cannabis using a private ambulance disguised with sirens and markings.
The suspect was picked up on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, after sustained surveillance led officers to intercept a Hyundai Hiace ambulance with registration number GX 277-20 in front of the Jamboree Drinking Spot at La Maami.
Police said Tuanda, who was standing beside the vehicle at the time of the arrest, admitted ownership of both the ambulance and its contents. A search revealed several sacks of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis, which, upon further inspection, were packed into 700 parcels and 473 wrappers.
Preliminary investigations show that the consignment was loaded in Kpando in the Volta North Region and transported to Accra for distribution. Police also disclosed that Tuanda confessed to being in the illicit trade since last year.
Investigators uncovered that the suspect originally bought the Hyundai Hiace as a regular car before branding it as an ambulance and fitting it with a siren to avoid suspicion. Prior to that, he allegedly used a Toyota Highlander for similar drug operations.
Police further revealed that the suspect sometimes used the vehicle for transporting corpses, making his cover more convincing.
The ambulance has since been impounded, while the seized narcotics are being analyzed at the Police Forensic Science Laboratory. Tuanda is currently in police custody and is being processed for court.
The Accra Regional Police Command has cautioned the public against abusing legitimate service vehicles for criminal purposes and reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying efforts against drug trafficking.
