A 41-year-old man who was nabbed in connection with 32 vacuum-sealed plant like substances suspected to be cannabis has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Joey Mclaren Hammond is facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime namely, exportation of narcotic drugs without license issued by the Minister responsible for Health, two counts of unlawful possession or control of narcotic drugs with lawful authority.
Hammond’s plea was not taken by the court.
Browne-Frater Chyna Jade is a 22-year-old British national, the first suspect who had earlier on been remanded by another Circuit Court.
Prosecution led by Hilda Craig, Principal State Attorney, prayed the court to remand Hammond.
Defence counsel opposed the prosecution’s prayer, saying Hammond should be admitted to bail.
The Trial Judge, Mr. Isaac Addo, held that looking at the nature of the accusation against Hammond and the severity of punishment, he would decline bail and remanded Hammond into Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) custody to reappear on June 16, 2025.
The facts before the court are that witnesses are authorised officers of NACOC stationed at Terminal three of Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The first suspect, Browne-Frater Chyna Jade, is a 22-year-old British national holding a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland passport.
Jade was scheduled to travel on British Airways flight BA 2068 from Accra to London.
The second suspect, Joey Mclaren Hammond, is a Ghanaian businessman residing in East Legon, Accra.
The NACOC received intelligence from its foreign counterparts concerning a drug trafficking syndicate engaged in smuggling Thai-grown and processed cannabis into the Unted Kingdom.
As a result, the first suspect, Jade, became a person of interest and was subsequently placed on the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Stop List.
On May 18, 2025, at about 6:40 p.m., GIS officials apprehended the first suspect and handed her over to NACOC officers at the Departure Hall of the airport.
During an initial interrogation, she indicated that she had checked in one suitcase, the contents of which she claimed to be unaware.
Acting on suspicion, NACOC officers traced the checked-in suitcase, which had already been loaded onto the aircraft, and had it offloaded.
Jade was then escorted to the NACOC Office, where the suitcase bearing a baggage tag in her name was opened in her presence. Officers discovered thirty-two (32) vacuum-sealed slabs of a plantlike substance suspected to be narcotics. The total weight of the seized substance was approximately 17. 92 kilograms, with an estimated street value of USD 232,960.
A field test conducted on a sample of the substance turned positive result for delta g tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in cannabis.
Jade was arrested on suspicion of attempting to export narcotic drugs and was taken to the NACOC Headquarters for further investigation.
Jade, during interrogation, said she had been invited to Ghana by her boyfriend. known only as “Joey.”
She further claimed that on the day of her departure, Joey had packed her suitcase in her absence.
When quizzed further about its contents, she was allegedly told it contained Kpoo Keke alcoholic drink, Alomo Bitters, and assorted spices.
She denied any knowledge of the narcotic substances discovered in her luggage.
Efforts were initiated to locate and apprehend the individual identified as “Joey” to assist with ongoing investigations.
The seized narcotic exhibits were sealed in the presence of the suspect and are to be forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for analysis.
On Monday, May 26, 2025, Joey, previously declared at large, was arrested and detained in lawful custody.
He was later identified as Mclaren Hammond who voluntarily presented himself to NACOC in the company of his counsel.
During an identification parade, Jade identified Browne Frater as the one who handed her the intercepted suitcase.
Hammond admitted to knowing Jade, and he briefly hosted her in Tse-Addo, but claimed he had no further contact with her thereafter.
The same day, Hammond was arrested and NACOC officers conducted a search at his residence in East Legon, leading to the recovery of assorted weapons, seven wraps of cannabis, and four (4) partly smoked pieces of cannabis from his bedroom.
A black Range Rover vehicle with registration number GE 1435-25 was also impounded.
During an on-the-spot interrogation, Hammond admitted to using cannabis for recreational purposes.
Investigations are still ongoing.
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