An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday sentenced nine people to various terms of imprisonment for possessing and smoking dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

The nine, George Lamtey, Ussif Jamal, Kwame Sarfo, Richmond Ashun, Issac Quanoo, Kwadjo Adofo, Benjamin Kofi Adjei, Adu Gyamfi, and Kwadwo Takyi all pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court sentenced eight of them to five months and a fine of hundred penalty units each for smoking the dried leaves. The ninth convict, Kwadwo Takyi, was sentenced to seven months for possessing a larger quantity of the leaves.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Morkeh told the court that on March 17, 2013, between the hours of 0800 and 1200 hours, a team of police personnel from the Kaneshie division carried out swoops to rid the district of drug peddlers and users.

He said the areas visited included Cable and Wireless in Darkuman, Kaneshie-Darkuman Lorry station, Atico and Mataheko.

DSP Morkeh told the court that in the course of the operations, the convicts were spotted at various locations openly smoking dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and that they took to their heels at the sight of the police, but were pursued and arrested.

He said during interrogation, they all admitted that they had been smoking Indian hemp.

He said whiles the first eight were caught with a wrap each, Kwadwo Takyi, a notorious drug peddler at Mataheko, was caught in his kiosk with a hand bag containing the dried leaves.

He said the exhibits had since been forwarded to the police forensic laboratory for examination.