A Nigerian national, Pascal Okafor Ezugwu, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Accra High Court for attempting to traffic drugs through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Ezugwu was arrested on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, by officers of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) at KIA while going through pre-boarding formalities in the departure hall to board a flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.
The officers ran a urine test on him and found traces of narcotic substances.
They later retrieved 90 thumb-sized pellets of cocaine weighing 1.54 kg from him.
He was detained and subsequently charged with three counts of narcotic offenses relating to unlawful possession, attempted exportation of narcotic drugs, and money laundering.
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He was arraigned before the Criminal Court Division of the Accra High Court where he pleaded guilty to all three charges.
Convicting him on his plea, the court sentenced him to 10 years in hard labour and a fine of ten thousand penalty units.
In default, he will serve an additional three years in prison.
Meanwhile, NACOC has cautioned the public against the consequences and risks associated with drug trafficking.
It further stated that the possession, usage, and transportation of illegal drugs without lawful authorization remain prohibited under sections 40 (1) and 41 (1) of Act 1019 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020.