Drug Barons Jump Bail

Intense frustration is gripping the Narcotics Control Board. With all the achievements in busting traffickers this year, not one of those apprehended has been tried, much more being convicted. Sources at the NCB, told The Accra Mail that they are dissatisfied with the way the courts have been handling drug cases brought before them.

The sources fell short of accusing the courts of complicity, but said it is the courts that are not giving the NCB's work the bite it deserves.

"We have now become the laughing stock of the drug traffickers," said a source to The Accra Mail.

When a bust is made and suspects are arraigned before the courts, they are immediately granted bail with paltry sureties, sometimes in the region of only ?20,000,000 - peanuts in the drug trade.

The major suspects, made up of mostly Nigerians, Togolese and Liberians who were arrested this year have flown the coop, because they were given bail with easy terms.

An air of gloom now engulfs the headquarters of the NCB where there is the feeling that the drug traffickers have gained the upper hand.

Ironically, it is Ghana's respect for human rights, which is being exploited by the traffickers. The 48 hours stipulated by the constitution as the maximum length of time a suspect can be held, has proved such a blessing to the traffickers. The authorities are unwilling to flout the constitution and come under the ire of CHRAJ and other human rights groups.

The officials of the NCB are extremely careful about what to say about the regime of holding suspects and the only quotable words they would give The Accra Mail was that, "we have taken some issues up with the Minister of Interior and the AG's office."

The convictions that come through when they do, are against minor dealers, mostly in the cannabis trade.

This year, 25 people were arrested for cocaine, 58 for heroine and 612 for cannabis. These figures are for the first three quarters only. The figures for the final quarter would not be available till early next year.

The drug problem has hit Ghana and in some parts of Accra, all manner of hard drugs are peddled freely and openly. Both the police and NCB seem powerless to raid such places.

The newfangled "business" of armed robbery has been described by some security experts as a by-product of the increased consumption in hard drugs.

Meanwhile, Ghanaian traffickers languishing in Thai jails have appealed to President Kufuor to let positive change benefit them also. They have asked him to have them extradited to Ghana to serve their jail terms where conditions are much more habitable than in Thailand.