British Actress Emaa Hussen and Two Others Charged in A$296m Methamphetamine Smuggling Case Linked to Ghana

Australian authorities have charged 34-year-old British actress Emaa Hussen and an Adelaide-based couple in connection with one of the country's largest methamphetamine seizures, involving a shipment originating from Ghana. The operation, led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Border Force (ABF), resulted in the confiscation of approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of A$296 million (US$208 million). The illicit substance was meticulously concealed within two shipping containers declared as bags of charcoal, which arrived at Port Botany in Sydney earlier this year.

The investigation began in April 2026 when ABF officers detected anomalies during routine X-ray screenings of the charcoal consignment. Subsequent forensic testing confirmed the presence of the high-purity stimulants. Law enforcement then tracked the shipment to a storage facility in Blacktown, where Hussen—known for her roles in an EastEnders spin-off and a Jason Statham film—was arrested while allegedly supervising the unloading process. Simultaneously, a man and a woman were apprehended in South Australia for their roles in the logistics of the operation, including the use of false identities to secure storage for the drugs.

In response to the international incident, Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the origins of the shipment. Acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations, Francis Opoku Amoah, stated on June 19, 2026, that the commission is collaborating with both internal and international security partners to identify and apprehend the syndicate members responsible for exporting the drugs from Ghana. NACOC reaffirmed its commitment to preventing Ghana’s territories from being exploited for transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.

Emaa Hussen has been denied bail and faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted of attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The Adelaide couple also remains in custody facing related charges. Australian and Ghanaian authorities have indicated that investigations are ongoing to dismantle the broader criminal network behind the shipment, as law enforcement agencies heighten their surveillance of maritime trade routes between West Africa and the Indo-Pacific region.