Ghanaian-based in UK busted with Cocaine

Accra Aug. 31, GNA - A trader who attempted to smuggle 10.1 kilograms of cocaine to the United Kingdom on Wednesday appeared at the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal.

Benson Agartha Opoku, charged with attempting to export drugs without license and possessing narcotic drugs without authority pleaded not guilty.

The tribunal admitted her to 1.5 billion bail cedis with three sureties to be justified. She is to reappear on September 12.

Mr Frederick Boamah, a State Attorney, told the court that Agartha lived at Taifa, a suburb in Accra and on May 14 this year, she arrived at the Kotoka International Airport to board a British Airways flight to London.

While she was going through immigration formalities security personnel acting upon a tip-off picked her up. Agartha's bags were searched and in a false compartment there were three parcels while the other bag had a brown envelope stuffed with whitish substances.

According to the State Attorney, a field test proved the substance to be cocaine weighing 10.7 kilograms.

When she was asked how she came by the substance, Agartha mentioned one Alhaji as the one who gave the drugs to her to be delivered to someone in London for an undisclosed fee.

She, however, failed to assist security personnel to apprehend the said Alhaji.

The substance, which was sent to the Ghana Standard Board for analysis, indicated that the substance was cocaine with total weight of 10.1 kilograms.