Another suspect arrested in cocaine case

Accra, Jan. 23, GNA - The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has arrested Mohammed Ibrahim Kamil, who is believed to be a member of the cocaine smuggling syndicate that was busted on January 7 at Tema with a large cache of the drug.

Kamil and his five accomplices, Kevin Gorman, 59, an American Citizen; Alan Hodson, 45, David Logan, 43, and Frank Lavelrick 43, all British and 45-year-old Sven Herb, a German, are standing trial at an Accra Regional Tribunal charged with conspiracy and possessing narcotic drug without authority.

Gorman was additionally charged for using his property for narcotic offence.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Tribunal presided over by Mr Justice P. K. Aggrey refused to grant them bail after listening to submissions made by counsel and remanded them into custody to reappear on January 29 for the court rule on whether to grant them bail or not.

Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Chief State Attorney represented the state. Mr Addo Attuah, who represented five of the accused persons, prayed the court to grant them bail saying they would not abscond. Mr Koblah Senanu, who represented Herb, said his client had a fixed place of abode in the country and was married to a Ghanaian woman with whom he had two children.

On January 7, the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) busted Gorman with 675 kilos of narcotic drugs suspected to be cocaine at his Tema Community 11 residence.

The cocaine, the largest consignment that NACOB has ever accosted since its establishment was also believed to be the biggest "catch" in Africa and it is estimated to have international street value of 140 million dollars.

The cocaine, packed in 22 cartons made up of 594 tablets, were concealed in a hole in Gorman's house and covered with a huge dressing mirror screwed to the wall as a camouflage to conceal the hole. Meanwhile field test by NACOB has confirmed the drug to be cocaine.