Accra, April 9, GNA - A businessman, who was found to have hidden 66 pellets of cocaine in his luggage when he arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to board a flight to Italy, appeared at an Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday with two accomplices.

Eric Afriyie Acheampong and his accomplices, Awal Mohammed and Abdul Razak Suhunu, are being held for engaging in criminal conspiracy relating to narcotic drugs.

Acheampong has also been charged for attempting to export narcotic drugs and possessing 66 pellets of drugs suspected to be cocaine. Mohammed and Suhunu, who allegedly provided Acheampong with the drugs, are being held for supplying narcotic drugs. The court did not take their plea and remanded them into police custody to reappear on April 23.

Chief Inspector Marjorie Otabil told the court that on April 4 this year, at about 7:30 pm, Acheampong arrived at KIA to board an Alitalia flight to Italy.

The prosecution said while Acheampong was going through departure formalities, operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) suspected he was carrying drugs because of his demeanour.

The NACOB operatives therefore intercepted his luggage and when it was opened 66 oval shaped thumb size of pellets suspected to be cocaine wrapped in a polythene bag was found.

The prosecution said some of the pellets were concealed in his clothes.

When Acheampong was interrogated he admitted that the drugs belonged to him and stated that on March 31, at about 12:00 pm he assisted Mohammed and Suhunu to wrap the cocaine at a house at Alajo. Acheampong claimed he bought the drugs from Mohammed and he paid 9,000 dollars leaving 5,000 as the balance, which was to be paid after the trip. The prosecution said police investigation led to the arrest of Mohammed and Suhunu.