Lawyer and Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has described the reported seizure of a large cocaine consignment in France after it allegedly passed through Ghana as “scandalous,” saying the development brings embarrassment to the country.Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Mr Bentil said the incident raises serious questions about how a consignment reportedly weighing about four tonnes of narcotics could leave Ghana without being intercepted by the authorities and subsequently be detected in France.“It is scandalous. It disgraces all of us.”He said the development was particularly troubling because Ghana is often portrayed as a stable and well-governed country within the West African region.“Most of the time people are happy that we are a haven in West Africa, we are a well-governed country, that kind of thing and me, I push that.”However, he said incidents involving large-scale drug trafficking undermine that image.“When these things happen, that’s what they talk about.”Mr Bentil stressed that the issue should not be treated merely as a drug seizure abroad but as a matter requiring serious questions about Ghana’s own systems of security and accountability.“The people in authority who are supposed to catch this thing must answer the question.”He questioned how such a large quantity of narcotics could allegedly pass through Ghana’s ports without detection.“This consignment passed through our ports with all the gadgets and nobody saw it.”Mr Bentil said the circumstances are particularly concerning because, unlike smaller quantities of drugs that smugglers may conceal in their bodies or secret compartments, a shipment of several tonnes would require a substantial logistical operation.“If somebody is exporting tonnes of it, then the person expects that it will go through.”He added: “The person expects that the people who are supposed to check will not check.”According to Mr Bentil, this raises questions about whether individuals within the system may have facilitated or overlooked the shipment.“The person expects that they will have the complicity of the system.”He said the fact that the shipment allegedly left Ghana before being intercepted elsewhere makes the situation even more troubling.“It worked because he wasn’t arrested in Ghana.”Mr Bentil therefore called for those responsible for the relevant security and inspection processes to account for what happened.“If I were anywhere near power, everybody in that chain would be arrested.”He also questioned the priorities of the country’s security agencies, arguing that national security resources should focus on serious threats such as organised drug trafficking rather than physical development control.“National security has no business in physical development control, demolishing structures in beaches, et cetera.”For Mr Bentil, the reported cocaine seizure is not only a security concern but also an issue of national reputation.“It is scandalous. It disgraces me.”He called on the authorities to establish how the shipment was able to pass through the Ghanaian system and identify anyone who may have enabled or failed to prevent it.“Somebody should answer these questions and please they shouldn’t paper over it.”BackgroundNearly 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine was seized by French Customs at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10.The consignment, concealed in a container declared to contain plastic waste, had departed from Ghana and was estimated to have a street value of about €225 million.The seizure has triggered investigations in Ghana, with six people denied bail by the Kwabenya Circuit Court in connection with the shipment.Four of the accused persons are reportedly linked to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and are facing allegations relating to the handling of Customs scanning procedures at the Tema Port.The case has raised questions about how such a large consignment of suspected narcotics was able to pass through Ghana’s port security and customs processes before being intercepted by French authorities.