Police seize 'hemp for export'

Police at Old Tafo in Kumasi have arrested two farmers and a driver for illegally transporting large quantities of dried leaves thought to be Indian hemp.

Thirty-eight-year old Samuel Owusu and Emmanuel Kwadwo Baba, 29, have been identified as owners of the compressed leaves allegedly meant for export to Malaysia.

They were arrested at Offinso on the Kumasi-Techiman Road together with Jacob Tijani, driver of a Nissan Urvan mini-bus with registration AS 794 Z which was conveying the suspected 'wee' to Accra.

Briefing newsmen, Tafo-Pankrono District Police Commander, Superintendent Kwaku Buah, said the suspects were arrested upon a tip-off after several months of surveillance on their activities.

They were transporting the dried leaves to Accra from Yabraso near Nsawkaw in the Tain District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

The street value of the leaves was not immediately known. They had been neatly compressed and packed separately in four fertilizer sacks, three paper cartons, one big travelling bag and two smaller parcels.

According to Superintendent Buah, the two farmers had apparently hired the services of the driver to convey the stuff to Accra for a fee of 220 Ghana cedis.

The dried leaves are to be sent for police forensic tests.

Superintendent Buah gave the assurance that the police in the region will continue to fight the drug menace.

Story by Ohemeng Tawiah, Nhyira FM