Four people who are on trial for the recent cocaine bust at Kotoka International Airport’s Swissport terminal have each been given GHC13 million bail with four sureties.
The defendants have been ordered to appear before the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) twice a week as part of their bail requirements.
In order to stop them from obtaining new travel documents, their biodata has also been sent to the Passport Office and they have been put on a no-fly list.
Three freight forwarders—Josiah Baidoo, Emmanuel Mintah, and Kwabena Ampfo Anti—as well as Gariba Soli, an artifact trader at the Arts Centre, were detained on suspicion of trying to export 73 slabs of cocaine without a license.
They have been accused with conspiring to conduct a crime, possession of a narcotic substance without a license, and attempting to export a narcotic substance without a license.
Three wooden crates marked as containing artifacts were found by NACOC officers during a regular search at the Swissport terminal, according to the evidence stated in court.
A thorough investigation, however, showed that the crates contained 73 slabs of powdered material that subsequently tested positive for cocaine.
Gariba Soli, the first accused, stated during questioning that he was hired to transport artifacts to the Netherlands by a man only known as Kevin.
He insisted that only artifacts were found in the boxes he transported to Swissport on April 14 and that he was only notified to come in for an inspection on April 23, when it was revealed that the contents were cocaine.
Source: newsthemegh.com