A recent court ruling has brought to justice four Ghanaians involved in a large-scale cannabis smuggling operation.
The group, consisting of Edward Kwame Adjei, Kristoffen Yaw Baidoo, Daniel Yeboah, and Kwaku Addae Bonsu, was found guilty of smuggling £4.3 million worth of cannabis from Ghana to South Essex.
Investigations revealed that the group utilized a clever concealment method, hiding the cannabis within sacks of Gari powder.
The drugs were seized at Tilbury Docks in December 2019, after intelligence suggested the container held illicit goods.
The National Crime Office, NCA’s probe exposed a complex web of fake identities, bank accounts, and communication networks used by the smugglers.
Text messages and emails on Baidoo’s mobile phone revealed his role in orchestrating the delivery, while Bonsu’s bank account showed multiple payments to a shipping company.
The sentences handed down were significant, with Daniel Yeboah receiving five years, Edward Adjei four years, Kristoffen Baidoo 10 years (in absentia), and Kwaku Bonsu seven years (in absentia).
The NCA has emphasized its commitment to targeting organized crime and ensuring those involved face justice.
-BY Daniel Bampoe