Accra, Sept. 15, GNA - Three Americans on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Fast Track High Court on charges of attempting to export and possessing narcotic drugs without licence.

They were arrested on September 9, this year, at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) while going through departure formalities. The accused are Shardarack Bamfo Ntiamoah, a Fire Officer, Abena Serwa and Gabriel Joanne both students.

While Ntiamoah and Serwa have pleaded not guilty, Joanne did not answer to the plea contending that she could not do that in the absence of her lawyer.

The court however, remanded them in prison custody to re-appear on September 23.

A Senior State Attorney, Mr George Kwadwo Ofori, said the accused persons were residents of Bronze and New Jersey in the US. He said the accused persons arrived at KIA to board a Delta Airlines to JFK Airport, and while going through departure formalities Narcotic Control Board Operatives suspected Ntiamoah of carrying narcotic drugs in the sole of his shoes.

Mr Ofori said during a search on Joanne and Serwa, it was detected that they had hidden 19 pellets of whitish substances suspected to be cocaine in their private parts.

He said when they were interrogated; they mentioned one Abubakar in the US as the one who gave them money to collect the drugs from one Alhaji in Accra.

They said the Alhaji met them at KIA on September 2, this year, took care of their needs and gave them the substances to be sent to Abubakar in the US.

Prosecution said efforts to trace Abubakar and Alhaji had proved futile.

Meanwhile the substance has been forwarded to the Ghana Standards Board for analytical examination.