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Four Ghanaians involved in the trafficking of cocaine from Ghana to the UK have been jailed for a total of 28 and half years.
The members of the cocaine smuggling syndicate were sentenced after they were found guilty of the drug crime investigated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).
The arrest of the four – Eric Kusi Appiah, 51; Albert Kaakyire Gyamfi, 52; Jennifer Agyemang, 38; and Julius Tetteh Puplampu, 56; on different occasions in 2021, led to the seizure of 38 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of £2.88 million.
Appiah was prosecuted and sentenced to six years imprisonment, Albert Kaakyire Gyamfi was also sentenced to nine years, and Jennifer Agyemang and Julius Tetteh Puplampu were sentenced to six years, nine months imprisonment each.
A statement signed by NACOC’s Head of Communications and Media Relations, Francis Opoku Amoah, said it started investigations into the activities of the gang identified for smuggling cocaine from Ghana to the UK through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in January 2021.
Appiah, was the first to be arrested at the Heathrow Airport for attempting to traffic into the UK 17 kilograms of cocaine worth £1.3m hidden in food boxes. His arrest led to the identification of the three other members of the group.
“On 14 May 2021, Albert Kaakyire Gyamfi and Jennifer Agyemang travelled through KIA to the UK and as part of the operational strategy; Albert Kaakyire Gyamfi and Jennifer Agyemang were allowed to travel to UK. Upon their arrival at Heathrow Airport, on 15 May 2021, they were arrested for attempting to traffic into UK fifteen kilograms (15kgs) of cocaine worth one million, one hundred thousand pound sterling (£1.1 million). The cocaine was found concealed in the base of the suitcase of Jennifer Agyemang. Forensic analysis also revealed a high reading of cocaine on the suitcase of Albert Kaakyire Gyamfi,” the statement said.
Julius Tetteh Puplampu, an ex-convict who was jailed 10 years in 2012 for the same offence in Ghana, was also arrested at Heathrow on 14 August, 2021 for attempting to traffic 6 kilograms of cocaine from Ghana concealed at the base of his suitcase.
“On 7 December 2021, two more individuals linked to the syndicate were arrested in Ghana for their involvement in the case,” the statement said.
The Narcotics Control Commission expressed satisfaction with the collaboration with the UK authorities.
It says it is committed to protecting the country’s borders from criminal drug syndicates.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri