Alleged drug barons refused bail

Accra, Jan. 23, GNA- Five persons, who were busted on January 7, this year, in connection with the seizure of a large cache of drugs suspected to be cocaine in Tema, were on Friday refused bail by an Accra Circuit Court when they appeared before it for the second time. Kevin Gorman, 59, an American citizen, appeared on a provisional charge of possessing 675 kilograms of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

Alan Hodson, 45, David Logan, 43, and Frank Lavelrick 43, all British and 45-year-old Sven Herb, a German, appeared on provisional charges of abetment of crime.


Their pleas were not taken.


The Court presided over by Mr Anthony Oppong in its ruling on the bail, said there was no undue delay and that prosecution had to contact the necessary areas to enable the court to decide.


When sitting resumed, Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Chief State Attorney, told the court that investigations are almost completed and he prayed the court to give the prosecution a week's adjournment.


Mr. Addo Attuah who represented four of the accused persons said there was no legal basis for his clients, continuous detention in custody. He said that prosecution enjoyed the continuous detention of his clients who were only brought on suspicion.

Mr. Koblah Senanu, counsel for Herb said the charge of abetment of crime couldn't hold as his client visited the accused persons.


Mr. Senanu said the fact that prosecution vehemently opposed to bail did not mean that the court should grant bail.


The court however refused the bail application and remanded the accused persons into custody to reappear on February 5.


On January 7, the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) busted Gorman with 675 kilos of narcotic drugs suspected to be cocaine at his Tema Community 11 residence.


The cocaine, the largest consignment that NACOB has ever accosted since its establishment was also believed to be the biggest "catch" in Africa and it is estimated to have a street value of 140 million dollars.

The cocaine, packed in 22 cartons with a total of 594 tablets, were concealed in a hole in the house and covered with a huge dressing mirror screwed to the wall as a camouflage to conceal the hole.


Meanwhile field test by NACOB has confirmed the drug to be cocaine. Col. Isaac K. Akuoku, Executive Secretary of NACOB, who led a team of media personnel to the house of the suspect, said his team of investigators had been trailing the culprits since the past two years. He said investigators suspect that the total consignment was flown into the country and dropped on the high seas from where tuna trawlers conveyed them ashore.


Col. Akuoku expressed appreciation with the work done by the combined team of investigators from the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Police Service and officers from NACOB.


"NACOB would not relent in its effort to free this country of narcotic drugs as well as break the network of drug barons, who try to use Ghana as a warehouse and a transit point for the shipment of narcotic drugs," he said.


He said Tuna-To-Go Limited, the company that Gorman was currently working with as a General Manager, shipped a similar cargo of shea nut butter oil in a 20-footer container in June 2003.