Helena Huang Granted Bail

The Chinese national arrested for attempting to smuggle four containers of Rosewood Helena Huang was granted a police inquiry bail on Tuesday after her arrest.

She will today report to the Northern Regional police command to assist authorities with investigations.

Citi News' Northern Regional correspondent, Maxwell Suuk said the police have been tightlipped on the bail conditions.

“Immediately after the briefing on her arrest yesterday, she was spotted walking freely in the town. Minutes, later, a police release noted that the suspect was on bail,” Suuk reported.

Huang was arrested at a police checkpoint around Viting, a town near Tamale, after allegedly evading multiple checkpoints with four containers of Rosewood.

According to the Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Otuo Acheampong, Helena Huang failed to produce her passport and other documents to show that she legally acquired the products.

“Our officers at one of our barriers in Tamale intercepted two trucks loaded with four containers of rosewood and informed the command. The exhibits were escorted to the police station and preliminary investigations indicated that one Chinese lady, Helena Huang claimed she is the owner of the rosewood and was escorting the product to Tema. Our initial investigation also established that she did not have enough measurement and conveyor certificate as well as a lumber inspection.”

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in March this year directed the Forestry Commission to ban the harvesting of Rosewood in the country.

—citinewsroom