By Joyce Danso
Accra, May 2, GNA – A Private Concierge has appeared before an Accra High Court for allegedly possessing 16.36 kg of plant like substances suspected to be cannabis.
Andile Mitchel Mdluli, a South African, is being held on charges of importation of narcotic drugs without license issued by the Minister responsible for Health and unlawful possession or control of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
The court has reserved the accused person’s plea as investigations are underway.
Andile, who was represented by her counsel Beyeeman Ofori -Atta Akyea, has been remanded until May 15, 2025.
Alberta Boakye Ansah, Assistant State Attorney represented the state.
The facts before the Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame E. Yenzuh indicate that witnesses in the case are authorized officers of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) stationed at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The suspect, Andile Mitchel Mdluli, aged 25 years, is a South African national traveling from Bangkok, Thailand, via Dubai on Emirates Airlines flight EK 787 en route to Accra.
The facts says Andile was traveling on a South African passport, issued on 07/10/2019 and set to expire on 06/10/2029 and the accused claims to be a private concierge.
NACOC received intelligence from its international partners indicating that a drug trafficking syndicate operating from Bangkok, Thailand, is recruiting couriers to traffic narcotic drugs via Dubai into Ghana.
This intelligence was shared with authorized officers stationed at the Arrivals Hall of Terminal 3, KIA.
On Friday, 25 Apni 2025, credible intelligence indicated that a female was onboard an Emirates Airlines flight to Ghana with a suitcase stuffed with narcotic drugs.
Upon disembarkation of Emirates passengers at about 1150 hours, authorized officers Stationed at the Terminal 3 Arrival Hall accosted suspect Andile on suspicion of drug trafficking.
She had in her possession a prece of hand luggage and one black checked-in Suitcase with a baggage tag bearing her name. During profiling, she indicated that she had packaged the suitcases herself and was aware of their contents. She provided a three-pin code to unlock the checked-in suitcase, but it was unsuccessful.
With her consent, the suitcase was forcibly opened and found to contain two towels concealing fifteen (15) black vacuum-sealed bags containing a plant-like substance suspected to be narcotics.
The facts indicated that no incriminating items were found in the hand luggage. A field test of samples from the substance yielded a positive result for delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, with an approximate gross weight of 16.36 kg. Consequently, suspect Mdluli was arrested for the importation of a narcotic drug without a license issued by the Minister responsible for Health, and for unlawful possession of narcotic drugs.
She volunteered to assist NACOC operatives in an intelligence-led operation to arrest accomplices in Ghana, which was unsuccessful. She was subsequently taken to NACOC Headquarters for further investigation. The drug exhibit will be forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for analytical examination and report. Investigation is still ongoing.
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