The proprietor of K & K Motors at Tesano in Accra, Kwame Gyasi, who allegedly attempted to bribe personnel of the Narcotics Control Board to influence them to release a drug courier, has been arrested.

Gyasi, who was said to have gone to the AFGO section of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) a few minutes after 12 midnight on April 6, 2004 to influence the personnel with $1,500, was arrested with Seth Mensah, with whom he went to the Airport to seek the release of Samuel Kingsford Panford, a Belgium-based Ghanaian auto-mechanic.

They are currently in police custody pending further investigations. A source close to the Narcotics Control Board said in interview that Panford was arrested at about 9:40pm with 1,033 grammes of substance believed to be cocaine concealed in his shoes when he was about to board a KLM flight for Holland on April 6.

It said during interrogation, Panford he was to deliver the drugs to one Koomson and mentioned Gyasi as the person who gave him the drug. It said while interrogation was going on, Gyasi called Panford on his mobile phone to find out if he had been successful in going through security checks.

The source said Panford told Gyasi that he had been arrested and requested for $2,000 to enable him to influence the security personnel for his release.

It said Gyasi arrived after midnight with the money in the company of Seth Mensah. It said when Gyasi was arrested and interrogated, he admitted having given the drugs to Panford. According to the source, when the money he brought was counted, it was found to be $1,500.