Four Ghanaians Convicted in UK Over £4.5 Million Cannabis Haul; Two Still at Large
International Drug Ring: Ghanaians Jailed, Others Flee
- Adjei received four years, Yeboah five, Bonsu seven, and Baidoo ten years in prison
- The group was caught after a container at Tilbury Docks was found to hold 1.5 tons of cannabis
- Baidoo and Bonsu are currently fugitives, having failed to appear for sentencing
Four Ghanaian men have been sentenced for their involvement in smuggling 1.5 tons of cannabis worth £4.5 million into the UK.
Following a lengthy investigation, Adjei, Yeboah, Bonsu, and Baidoo received prison terms of four, five, seven, and ten years, respectively.
While Adjei and Yeboah were present for their sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, Baidoo and Bonsu absconded and are currently fugitives.
The cannabis smuggling operation was thwarted due to intelligence cooperation between the Ghanaian Narcotics Control Commission and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
Authorities intercepted a container at Tilbury Docks, uncovering 2,335 packages of cannabis concealed within hessian sacks of gari, with an estimated street value of approximately £4.3 million.
After the drugs were discovered, officers replaced them with a dummy package containing a tracking device, enabling them to follow the container’s journey to an industrial yard in North London.
Yeboah signed for the delivery using a forged name and was met by yard workers who used an angle grinder to open the container.
Meanwhile, Bonsu was spotted surveilling the site in his car, while Adjei dropped off Baidoo. When the group realized the drugs were missing, they fled in various vehicles but were quickly apprehended: Yeboah and Adjei in Homerton, Baidoo in Stratford, and Bonsu in Edmonton.
Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of a 10-tonne hydraulic press at Baidoo’s home, typically used for drug compression, alongside multiple electronic devices including phones and dash cams. Footage from Adjei’s dashcam revealed communication with Baidoo and Yeboah shortly after the container’s arrival, where he warned Yeboah to be cautious, calling the situation “a little dodgy.”
Yeboah later expressed doubts about the load, claiming that “the food [drugs] is not in it” and accused others of theft.
Furthermore, text messages and emails from Baidoo’s phone outlined a detailed plan for receiving the drugs at the rented yard, where he used a false identity to avoid detection. Bonsu’s bank records also showed numerous transactions to a shipping company involved in transporting the container from Tilbury Docks.
This case highlights the ongoing battle against drug smuggling and the effectiveness of international collaboration in law enforcement. As the manhunt continues for Baidoo and Bonsu, authorities remain vigilant in their efforts to combat drug trafficking.
