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General News of Friday, 23 December 2005

Source: GRi

Over 100 drug couriers busted in Accra

OVER 100 individuals of various nationalities were arrested for their alleged involvement in the narcotic drug courier business this year. Most of the culprits were busted at the Kotoka International Airport. They were made up of 35 Ghanaians, 11 Nigerians, 6 Dutch, 3 British and three Germans.

There were also two Americans, two Togolese and one each from Mali, France, Liberia, Benin, Rwanda and Belgium. Disclosing this to the Times in Accra, a source at the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) said their ages ranged from 19 to 51 years.

The source said that the perceived high profits derived from the drug business seems to attract particularly the youth aged between 20 and 30 years.

A total of 30,619 grammes of cocaine were seized from the couriers during the second quarter of this year, according to the source.

This represent an increase of 4,020 grammes seized during the first quarter.

The quantity of heroin seized by the board, however, reduced from 3,388 grammes in the first quarter to 769.6277 grammes in the second quarter.

During the same period, cannabis retrieved increased from 436.41 kilogrammes to 886.2015 kilogrammes.