We've confiscated 45 sacks of suspected marijuana in intercepted ‘narcotic-trafficking canoe' — Navy

The Ghana Navy has intercepted one out of three canoes suspected to be transporting narcotics along the Volta River near Agorkpo.

According to a statement dated December 21, from the Department of Public Relations at General Headquarters in Burma Camp, a detachment from the Navy's Riverine Command acted on intelligence gathered during a foot patrol on Friday night.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, December 16, between 3am-8am, naval personnel laid ambush at two locations awaiting movement of the canoes.

"At about 4am, the first Ambush Team sighted 3 canoes involved in the illegality proceeding at high speed past their location," said Lieutenant Colonel A Marteye, spokesperson for the Navy.

“Unfortunately, the suspects did not proceed toward the direction of the main Ambush Team as anticipated, so the first team of 3 men chased and intercepted the third canoe,” it added.

A scuffle is said to have ensued as the three suspects aboard dove into the river to escape.

They abandoned their canoe, which was found to contain 45 sacks of a substance suspected to be marijuana.

The naval team was unable to apprehend the other two canoes as they escaped towards the estuary.

The confiscated goods, according to the statement, were brought to the Naval Base in Tema for further investigation.

The amount and value of the suspected marijuana have yet to be determined pending weighing.