Court remands cocaine suspect in custody

Accra, March 7, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra on Friday remanded into police custody Felix Akuamoah Boateng, a businessman for attempting

to smuggle 100 pellets of narcotic drugs, which he expelled after his arrest.

Boateng, whose plea was not taken is being held for possessing narcotic drugs without authority. He is to re-appear on March 27.

Prosecuting Superintendent of Police Mr. J.K Abraham told the court that Boateng arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to board a flight for Milan. Prosecution said, due to his strange movement, personnel of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) suspected him of carrying drugs and picked him up.

The NACOB officials conducted a field test of Boateng's urine and he confessed having swallowed 100 pellets of the stuff.

Boateng was escorted to the 37 Military Hospital and put under observation for three days where he expelled all the pellets. During interrogation, he said one Adot gave him the drugs to be given to an unknown person in Milan for a fee of 3,500 Euros. Prosecution said Boateng failed to assist the Police to arrest Adot his supplier.

The prosecutor said the drugs had been forwarded to the Ghana Standard Board for analytical examination. Meanwhile the same court has also remanded Christian Buor Yakubu for possessing 70 pellets of drugs which he intended to send to Milan on March 1, this year.

The court did not take Yakubu's plea. He is to reappear on March 27. Prosecution said Yakubu, who also expelled the 70 pellets at the 37 Military Hospital claimed the drugs were given to him by one Adot to be delivered to someone in Milan for a fee of 3,000 dollars. Also in the dock was Abudulaye Alhassan.

Alhassan whose plea was not taken is being held for attempted exportation of narcotic drugs and possessing 88 pellets of cocaine without lawful authority. Alhassan who was picked at the KIA by NACOB personnel on March 1, this year alleged that he bought the drugs at a cost of 15,000 Euros at Suame, Kumasi to sell in Italy. The drugs have been sent to GSB for analytical examination.