Man, 23, Arrested With 11 Bags Of 'Wee'

By Edmund Mingle
Wednesday, 06 February 2008

The Police at the weekend intercepted 11 bags of Indian hemp (wee) being transported from a village near Juapong in the Volta Region to Accra.

Emmanuel Quarshie, 23, believed to be the leader of an Indian hemp trading gang was arrested in the process while an Opel Kadet taxi, GT 4832 Q, that was carrying the substance has been impounded.

Police Superintendent Ernest Owusu-Donkor, Head of the Police Highway Patrol Unit, told the Times yesterday, that one of police patrol teams saw the taxi parked at a point between Juapong and Asikuma at around 3:30am, with three men standing around it in the dark.

He said the team became suspicious and got closer only to find Quarshie holding a torchlight with two others standing by him. When police asked what they were doing there at that time, Quarshie who was the driver of the vehicle replied that his car had developed a flat tyre.
However the Police were not convinced and decided to conduct a search.

"As soon as the police started alighting from the patrol car, the two accomplices of Quarshie fled into the bush leaving him behind". Quarshie made an attempt to escape but was captured.
During a search, 11 large parcels of wee wrapped in black polythene bags were found loaded in the boot and at the back seat of the vehicle.

The police team found the vehicle to be in good condition with good tyres contrary to Quarshie’s claim that he had a flat tyre.

Supt. Owusu-Donkor said the team suspected that the suspects were transporting the wee from a wee farm in the area, and therefore referred the case to the Organised Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department for further investigations.

He urged the travelling public and members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to assist the police to arrest people engaged in such illegal businesses.

During interrogation, Quarshie is said to have told the Police that one Gabriel, called him on Saturday afternoon that he wanted him (Quarshie) to transport some goods from Juapong to Accra.

Quarshie alleged that Gabriel and the other accomplices whose names he could not provide, joined the cab and he was directed to drive to Finte, a village near Juapong where the goods were loaded into the vehicle.

Quarshie who denied having fore knowledge about the content of the bags until his arrest said he charged GH¢40 for his services.

Asked about the destination in Accra, he said he was depending on Gabriel to direct him to where to offload the goods since he was only providing a service.