An Accra Circuit Court has admitted 13 persons to a GH₵50,000.00 bail each with one surety for allegedly possessing a plant substance suspected to be narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

They are Ethel Anaab, a 28-year-old trader, Daniel Tetteh Botchway, a 52-year-old farmer, Kofi Nti, a 29-year-old driver, and Benette Adjei, a 28-year-old Chef.

Others are Owuraku Agyemang, a 23-year-old unemployed, Joshua Odamtten, a 23-year-old unemployed, Isaac Boateng, a 23-year-old trader, Kofi Stephen Appiani, a 20-year-old unemployed, and Roger Abeku Danso Mensah, a 30-year-old clearing agent.

The rest are Dennis Laryea, a 23-year-old unemployed, Ernest Ekuban, a 23-year-old trader, and Melvin Nortey, a 40-year-old physiotherapist.

All the accused persons are jointly held for unlawful possession of narcotic plants.

Anaab is said to have possessed 118 wraps of plants suspected to be narcotic drugs for trafficking.

The court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah adjourned the case to May 8, 2024.

The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Maxwell Oppong, said that the complainants and witnesses in the case were personnel of the Ghana Military Police stationed at Burma Camp, Accra.

It said the accused persons resided at La Palm-Wine junction, a suburb of Accra.

The prosecution said, “There is a spot near Las Villas at Burma Camp, where people in La township often gather and peddle narcotic substances.”

It said the Ghana Military Police observed that the said spot had gained notoriety in narcotic peddling.

The court heard that on March 22, 2024, at about 1400 hours, the complainant and the witnesses picked up intelligence that the accused persons had gathered at the said spot peddling and using narcotic substances.

The prosecution said the team organised a swoop at the said location, which resulted in the arrest of the accused persons, adding that Anaab was found with 118 wraps of plants substances suspected to be narcotic plants and the rest of the accused persons were each found with smoking quantity of substances suspected to be narcotic plants gathered at the said spot.

It said during the operation, a quantity of similar plant substances was found in a black polythene bag yet to be connected to any of the accused persons.

The prosecution said the complainant and the witnesses arrested the accused persons together with the plant substances and handed them over to the La Police for action.

It said efforts were being made to get the plant substance suspected to be narcotic plants tested while the case was still under investigation.