Operators of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), Ghana Link Network Services Ltd, have refuted media reports alleging that scanners at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) Cargo Village are non-functional and that Ghana is relying solely on sniffer dogs to detect narcotics and contraband at its ports of entry.
In a statement issued by Ghana Link on Monday, July 14, 2025, and sighted by GhanaWeb Business, the company described the claims as false, misleading, and damaging to the integrity of Ghanas border security systems and the private entities mandated to safeguard them.
All scanners are fully functional and operational, the company stated, citing the deployment of five scanners at the KIA Cargo Village, four for exports and one for imports, all of which it says are maintained and functioning optimally.
The export scanners, manufactured by the French firm Smiths Heimann, are stationed across Swissport, the Air Ghana Cargo Processing Centre (AGCPC), and Aviance facilities.
For inbound cargo, Ghana Link indicated that a high-capacity Rapiscan Eagle A25 scanner, built by US-based Rapiscan Systems and AS&E, is in full operation.
According to the firm, this particular scanner is one of only three such models currently operational in Africa.
Ghana Link also noted that all imports are moved from the tarmac to the scanners for mandatory inspection before customs clearance, while exports undergo scanning after documentation and examination, prior to entry into secured biometric warehouses.
The company further clarified the role of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and the use of sniffer dogs, stating that these dogs are occasionally deployed based on intelligence, as occurred in a recent case that has fueled public speculation.
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