...after vomiting 65 pellets of heroine

The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has recorded a major feat in the fight to rid Ghana off the deadly drug trade with the conviction of a driver, resident in Italy, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour over some 65 pellets of heroine.

An Accra High Court sentenced Kwabena Adusei who was charged with possession of narcotic drugs and attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

Mr. Adusei, pleaded not guilty, but the court sat over by Mr. Justice Charles Quist after the trial found him guilty on the two charges and sentenced him to 10 years on each charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Mrs. Marina Appiah Opare, Senior State Attorney, who prosecuted said the complainants were officials of the NACOB led by Mr. Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong.

On September 8, 2009 at about 0900 hours Adusei was picked up by NACOB officials at Boarding Gate One at the Kotoka International Airport while going through departure formalities.

Adusei was picked up on suspicion of having swallowed some narcotic drugs.

Prosecution said a field test of Adusei’s urine, who was scheduled to board a Delta Airline Flight with flight number Dl 167 from Accra- New York, proved positive of heroine.

During interrogation Adusei confessed that he had swallowed 65 pellets of heroine. On September 9, 2009 Adusei under a careful observation expelled all the pellets.

In his caution statement, Adusei indicated that he swallowed the 65 pellets in Lagos, Nigeria where he purchased them at a cost of 24,000 dollars.

When the exhibits were forwarded to the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) for analytical examination, the drugs tested positive for heroine.