Pubdate: Thu, 21 Aug 2003
Source: Ghanaian Chronicle (Ghana)
Copyright: 2003 Ghanaian Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.ghanaian-chronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2455
Authors: George Kyie Frimpong, Racheal O. Amakye

NCB CONFISCATES $MILLIONS ILLICIT DRUGS

LATEST INFORMATION gathered from the Narcotics Control Board indicates that 
about 2,618 kilograms of narcotic drugs worth millions of dollars in street 
value have been confiscated in the last of six months.

A total of 520 people were arrested for drug trafficking over the same 
period, Mr. Kwame Addo, information officer of the board, told The 
Chronicle in Accra yesterday.

Of the illicit drugs confiscated 10.2 kg were cocaine, 7.6kg were heroin 
and 2,601kg were cannabis (wee).

Mr. Addo said the board has increased its activities to clamp down on drug 
traffickers and barons especially at Kotoka International Airport. He said 
the board would not relent its effort to establish the most effective ways 
of controlling this menace.

He advised the public to exercise patience whenever a case is under 
investigations since narcotic investigations are more complicated than 
criminal investigations.

Mr. Addo said the board does not have its own drug treatment and 
rehabilitation centers, which undermines its objective of focusing on drug 
addicts and traffickers and rehabilitating them so that they could be 
reintegrated into the society.

Currently the board uses public rehabilitation centers, but plans are afoot 
to refurbish some of the abandoned buildings of the department of social 
welfare into rehabilitation centers by the end of next year.

He called on the public to support the activities of the board by providing 
information that could lead to the arrest of the drug traffickers from 
their hide outs, adding that identities of informants would be strictly 
protected.

The board also needs public sponsorship for its educational programmes so 
that it could print more handouts and documentaries for students and the 
public on the negative effects of drugs on the social and economic 
development of the country.
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