Police arrests family for dealing in Indian hemp

Sekondi, June 24, GNA - The Western Regional Police Command has arrested four suspected armed robbers at Akaatiso in the Sefwi Debiso District of the Western Region, near La Cote d'Ivoire's border with several weapons.

The three Burkinabes and a Togolese were arrested on June 16 after the Police had been tipped off.

They are Issah Dayamba, 25, Desire Nakwanda, 31, Bukari Bushenga, 27 and Alidu Tumbianu, 32.

Briefing the media on Friday, The Regional Police Commander, Kofi Duku Arthur said the police assisted by the military laid ambush in a house, where the suspects were alleged to have hidden four locally manufactured pistols, one S.B. shot gun, one double edged knife, two spanners, one wheel spanner, a mask, a hat, a Samsung mobile phone with charger, four torch lights, 15 live cartridges, 9000 CFA, five Euros, 7,000 cedis, 3000 old CFA francs and a handbag full of talisman. The suspects are currently in police custody. In another development, the Police have also arrested a farmer, his wife, his two sons and daughter-in-law for cultivating, harvesting and selling Indian hemp.

Briefing the media Mr Arthur said on June 19 the police had information that one Kwame Adjei, alias Watupetetuo, aged 50 and resident at Wassa Afransie, near Wassa Akropong had intercropped his farm with Indian hemp and when he was arrested, he was separating the leaves from the seeds in his room.

The others are Isaac Adjei, alias Kwame Amponsah, 22, Samuel Adjei, alias Nkrumah, 19, both sons of the Watupetetuo.

The commander said both Isaac and Samuel operated a drinking bar in their house and had used some of the suspected hemp as bitters and sold it to their clients.

Akua Tia, the 40-year-old wife of the Watupetetuo and Adjoa Isaac, wife of Isaac were also arrested for assisting in the sale of the leaves and "hemp bitters".