"Ghana@50" souvenirs used for cocaine

Tarkwa (W/R) Sept. 7, GNA - Superintendent Slim Opoku Manford, Tarkwa District Police Commander, has said it has come to the notice of the Police Administration that some unscrupulous people had taken advantage of the Ghana @ 50 souvenirs to market substances including cannabis and cocaine to the public.

Supt. Manford told Ghana News Agency in an interview on Thursday. These people he said used the national colours with other stickers designed to advertiser leaves like Indian hemp and drugs like cocaine. The Tarkwa District Commander of Police said an example was a design embossed on a national flag with the inscription "weed of wisdom" is strongly believed to be Indian hemp.

He said with the celebration of Ghana @ 50 and the forthcoming CAN 2008, the Police would not tolerate any seller or user of such an adulterated Ghana flag.

He said it was illegal to deal in leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and substances like cocaine and prompted the public to be mindful of such unscrupulous people.

He appealed to the producers of the Ghana @ 50 souvenirs to desist from the act else the law would deal with them accordingly, adding that pragmatic steps were being taken to address the problem.