An unemployed man who swallowed 38 pellets of cocaine with additional 45 concealed in a bag has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment with hard labour.

The convict was charged with two counts of attempted exportation of narcotic drug without license issued by the Ministry of Health.

Pronouncing sentence on Mohammed Alhassan, Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Justice Frank Manu, stated that the sentence should run concurrently and to take effect from the date of the arrest, which was in September, 2006.

Mr Justice Manu stated further that the exhibit should be destroyed. "After serving the sentence, the properties of the accused should be released to him.”

Alhassan pleaded guilty to the charges.

A total of 83 pellets of the cocaine, weighing 991.50 grams, were to be exported to Spain.

Mr. K. Asiama-Sampong, a Senior State Attorney, said on September 26, last year, Alhassan was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport, when he was undergoing pre-boarding formalities to board a flight to Spain.

The prosecutor said a search in his bag by the aviation security revealed 45 pellets of suspected narcotic drug concealed in his bag. During interrogation, he admitted that he swallowed 38 pellets.

According to him, during further investigations, he stated that the substance was given to him by Fusseini and Salanco, both from Dome in Accra, to be delivered to one Abdulai Maiga who lives in Spain for a fee of 4,000 Euros.

Mr Asiama-Sampong said the convict failed to identify Fusseini and Salanco to the Police and the Narcotic Control Board officials who investigated the matter.

Source: GNA