Man jailed 10 years for attempted cocaine smuggle

An Accra High Court has sentenced a 32-year-old man to 10 years imprisonment for attempting to smuggle narcotics out of Ghana through the Kotoka International Airport KIA).

The man, identified as a Nigerian, was found guilty of attempting to smuggle 90 thumb-sized cocaine pellets which weighed 1.54 kg.

In addition to the jail term in hard labour, he was also fined ten thousand penalty units, amounting to GH¢1,200,000, or in default, serve an additional three years in prison.

The court also ordered the destruction of the exhibit which will be supervised by all the interested stakeholders in the presence of the court registrar, state prosecutors and the defence counsel.

Crime

Mr Ezugwu was arrested on February 21, this year, by officers of Narcotic Control Com¬mission (NACOC), NACOC at the KIA when he was going through pre-boarding formalities at the departure hall to board a flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Upon his arrest, a urine test was conducted on him and the results revealed traces of narcotic substances.

He later expelled a total of 90 thumb-sized pellets during observation by officers, where a field test of the pellets proved positive for cocaine.

He was subsequently detained and later charged with three counts of narcotic offences relating to unlawful possession, attempted exportation of narcotic drugs and money laundering.

Mr Ezugwu was arraigned before the Criminal Court Division of the Accra High Court where he pleaded guilty to all three counts and was consequently convicted on his plea.

Risk

In a statement confirming the sentence, NACOC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the public from the trafficking and use of illicit drugs, thereby ensuring public safety.

It emphasised that the possession, usage, and transportation of illegal drugs without lawful authorisation remain prohibited under sections 40 (1) and 41 (1) of Act 1019 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020, and has thus urged the general public to be aware of the consequences and risks associated with such activities.