Customs, NACOB seize cocaine concealed in bag

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) have seized 12.1394kg of cocaine at the Kpoglo Border Post in the Volta Region.

The white, powdery substance, which was concealed in a bag, was on its way into Ghana, but officials could not immediately tell its intended final destination.

A preliminary test at the Customs Office in Aflao proved positive for the banned substance, the Chief Revenue Officer (Communications and Public Affairs) at the Customs Division, Mr Johnson Menlah Yankey, told the Daily Graphic in Accra on Sunday, September 29.

He could, however, not indicate the estimated street value of the seized contraband.

Arrest

Two suspects, Samuel Chemremeh, 23, and David Chibake, 22, both Nigerians, were arrested and are in the custody of NACOB for further interrogation.

The two men were in charge of the bag in which the banned substance was found.

Mr Yankey said the cocaine had also been handed over to NACOB.

“The cocaine seizure is yet another tremendous accomplishment of the Customs Division, working in collaboration with NACOB,” he said.

Checks

According to Mr Yankey, about 5 p.m. last Saturday, Customs officers at the Kpoglo Border Post undertook their usual security checks on passengers crossing the border.

In the process, they saw a wrapped substance in a bag, and, suspecting that it was a banned drug, the officers brought in NACOB and further examination proved that it was cocaine.

“The two men were immediately arrested and handed over to NACOB for further investigations,” he said.

“Our men at the entry points will continue to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies to prevent contrabands from entering our country,” he said.

Three weeks earlier

Mr Yankey disclosed that about three weeks ago, other “large quantities of cocaine and heroin were busted at the same Kpoglo Border Post”.

He said the drugs were in a Toyota Highlander vehicle, where quantities of fake $100 notes were also found.

The driver of the vehicle, however, escaped.