The National Highway Patrol Unit has arrested 23-year-old Richmond Ayiku and has retrieved 123 wrappers of powdery substances contained in a polythene which he was carrying on his laps.
The police also arrested 26-year-old John Abiew, who concealed 5 large parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp in cassava dough.
While the cocaine man was arrested at about 2pm on Monday, Abiew was arrested at the same spot, forty minutes later. The two have been detained in police custody to help in investigations.
According to the Commander of the National Highway Patrol Unit, Superintendent Obed Dzikunu, on Monday, May 30, 2011, at about 2pm, a team from his outfit detailed on the Accra-Dodowa-Assesewa road intercepted a passenger Benz bus registered as GN 4855 N at Dodowa.
A spot check on the vehicle, which was from Madina and headed to Kpong, led to the discovery of a polythene bag in the possession of suspect Ayiku. In the polythene bag was 123 rappers of cocaine and a caked substance suspected to be processed Indian hemp.
At about 2:40pm on that same day, at the same spot, a Ford van fully loaded with passengers and headed towards Madina from Kpong, was also intercepted. A check in the vehicle revealed a mini jute sack loaded with cassava dough.
When the sack was searched, five parcels wrapped with cellotape, which contained dried leaves the police suspected to be wee, were found. The two have been kept at the cells of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters and their goods seized as exhibits.
Superintendent Dzikunu said the two have claimed ownership.
While Ayiku said he was on an errand for a friend who asked him to deliver the cocaine to an unnamed person at Kpong, Abiew said his package was to be delivered to a friend at Madina.
The police boss said investigations into the matter were still ongoing. He used the opportunity to appeal to passengers to be patient and cooperate with the police during such snap checks.
He noted that, that was largely one of the means by which the police could uncover and arrest such miscreants who might want to use public transport for their courier service. He urged members of the general public to volunteer information to the police about defiant characters in the society.
This, he said, would help bring crime to the barest minimal so that law abiding citizens could go about their daily drudgery without fear.
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