VZCZCXRO6632
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #2244 2960725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230725Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5570
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0180
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 0891
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0001

UNCLAS ACCRA 002244 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/CR, AF/FO AND AF/W; DEA 
PLEASE PASS TO DEA WASHINGTON FIELD DIVISION; ROME FOR RD 
BENSON; BRUSSELS FOR A/RD SCARANTINO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC SNAR PREL PGOV PINR GH AF
SUBJECT: TWO AFGHANS ARRESTED IN NARCOTICS STING OPERATION 
 
REF: STATE 143215 
 
¶1. (SBU) On October 22 in Accra, pursuant to a U.S. 
request, the Ghana Police arrested two Afghan nationals, 
Nasrullah Safiullah and Mohammad Ashraf Mohammad-Omar, for 
conspiracy to manufacture and distribute heroin and import 
it for sale in the U.S. During a long DEA undercover 
operation, 
Safiullah first met with two undercover DEA agents in Accra 
and agreed to sell the agents 100 kilograms of heroin for 
importation to and distribution in the U.S. at a cost of 
USD 17,000 per kilogram. The estimated street value of the 
heroin 
is USD 30 million. After the first meeting, an undercover DEA 
agent 
traveled to Kabul to receive a sample of the heroin. On this 
second trip to Accra, Safiullah, accompanied by 
Mohammad-Omar, expected to 
receive a 35 per cent down payment for the heroin while 
Mohammad-Omar 
planned to stay in Accra until the deal was completed. 
Safiullah and 
Mohammad-Omar are described as major suppliers of heroin and 
they maintain 
a laboratory in Afghanistan where they refine, process, and 
convert raw 
opium into heroin, as much as 500 kilograms a week, and 
distribute the heroin to a network of international 
customers. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The suspects arrived in Accra from Dubai at 0600 
on October 22.  Upon arrival they entered through 
Kotoka International Airport and were met by undercover DEA 
agents. After they departed the airport, the suspects were 
pulled over and arrested by Ghana Police officers. The 
suspects were then taken to a holding facility in Accra 
where they will remain until the Ghanaian government 
formally expels them. (NOTE: Post delivered reftel diplomatic 
note on October 16 to Secretary to the President who told us 
the GOG would work with the U.S.G to expel the suspects. END 
NOTE.) 
After the expulsion, the suspects will be placed in U.S. 
custody 
and will return to the U.S. via commercial air to stand 
trial. 
Sealed warrants for the suspects, arrest were issued on 
October 10 
in the U.S. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT:  The suspects are among the biggest 
narcotics dealers ever arrested in Ghana, as Ghana 
typically focuses on couriers. The GOG was brought in on the 
operation 
late and only a limited number of top officials were informed 
due to 
security concerns. Many of the operational details were 
handled directly by the Secretary to President Kufuor, to 
avoid even the 
slightest possibility of a tip off by anyone in the 
Ghanaian government. The operation was a success and 
the GOG has told us it plans to publicize the arrests. 
Operationally, the Ghana Police officers involved in the 
sting acted professionally and showed that, given the right 
intelligence, and high-level support from the Government, 
they are able to make 
a dent in the ever increasing amount of narcotics transiting 
Ghana. END 
COMMENT. 
BROWN