The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested 53-year-old Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti for the unlawful possession and sale of restricted pharmaceutical drugs in Tamale.
The arrest was made during an intelligence-led operation on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at around 1:30 p.m. at Victory Cinema near Aboabo, where Sayuti operates an Over-The-Counter (OTC) chemical shop.
A police search at the premises uncovered 368 blisters of tramadol (120mg) and 298 blisters of tramaking (120mg)—both controlled opioids under Ghanaian law.
Further police investigations led to a more shocking discovery at Sayuti’s residence in Fuo, a suburb of Tamale, where officers found a warehouse stocked with 447 boxes of tramadol and 11 boxes of tramaking.
The police have described the scale of the operation as a significant threat to public health and safety.
In a statement, authorities confirmed that the drugs recovered far exceeded legal possession limits and were being sold without proper authorization.
Alhaji Sayuti was arraigned before the court on Wednesday, July 16, where he pleaded guilty to charges of possession and unauthorised sale of restricted drugs.
However, court proceedings were briefly disrupted when the suspect collapsed in court and was rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) for medical attention.
He has since been remanded into prison custody and is expected to reappear in court on July 21, 2025.
