'Laced-drink' carjacking on the rise – Police

The Ghana Police Service has revealed that the mode of operation of car snatching syndicates in Accra is getting sophisticated, as some of the car snatchers lace the drinks of their victims before striking.

Explaining how it works, the District Commander at the Airport Police Command, Chief Superintendent I.K. Abaka, said: “These criminals go to taxi ranks and trotro [commercial bus] stations, pretending they want to hire the services of a driver.

“When they get the driver, they take him to the Accra Mall, pretending that some of the people they’re going to pick are there. He [car snatcher] goes in and comes back with a drink and offers it to the driver. As soon as the driver and the mate take the drink, they [pass out] and the car is taken away from them.”

He noted that the drug put in the drinks is so strong that “the driver will [pass out] for two or three days and even when they come to report the cases here, you can see they are still intoxicated, so, it is important drivers are careful when taking drinks from strangers.”

Mr Abaka disclosed this in an interview with Accra-based Joy FM, adding that the criminals usually target drivers of newly-registered Toyota cars, as well as mini and sprinter buses.

He said the doping is dangerous and can have a long-term effect on the health of the victim. He, however, expressed confidence that the Motorbike Patrol Unit of the police service launched recently will clamp down on those activities and bring it to an end.