In a major crackdown on international drug trafficking, four Ghanaians have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to ten years for smuggling 1.5 tons of cannabis worth £4.5 million into the UK ¹. The convicted individuals, identified as Adjei, Yeboah, Bonsu, and Baidoo, played crucial roles in facilitating the illicit operation until their eventual arrest.
The Investigation The interception of the drugs was made possible by intelligence shared between the Ghanaian Narcotics Control Commission and the UK’s National Crime Agency ¹. Border officers at Tilbury Docks discovered 2,335 packages of cannabis hidden inside white hessian sacks of gari, valued at approximately £4.3 million. The Arrests Following the discovery, officers replaced the drugs with a fake package containing a tracker, monitoring the container’s movement to an industrial yard in North London.
Yeboah, who signed the delivery note with a fake signature, was met by workers who removed the container seal. Bonsu was seen circling the yard, photographing the container, while Adjei dropped Baidoo off at the site. Realizing the drugs were missing, the group fled, abandoning the load.
Officers arrested Yeboah and Adjei in Homerton, Baidoo in Stratford, and Bonsu in Edmonton. Aftermath Investigations Searches at Baidoo’s residence uncovered a 10-tonne hydraulic press, electronic devices, and evidence of his plan to receive the drugs at the yard, rented under a false name .
Footage from Adjei’s dashcam revealed calls to Baidoo and Yeboah, with Yeboah expressing concerns about the missing drugs. Sentencing and Manhunt Adjei and Yeboah attended their sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, receiving four and five years, respectively. However, Baidoo and Bonsu, sentenced to seven and ten years, failed to appear and are currently on the run. This successful operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating organized crime and drug trafficking.
