41-year old Ghanaian remanded for role in UK-bound cannabis trafficking scheme

A 41-year-old Ghanaian man, Joey Mclaren Hammond, has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in connection with an alleged attempt to export nearly 18 kilograms of suspected cannabis to the United Kingdom.

Hammond is facing charges of conspiracy to export narcotic drugs without ministerial authorization, as well as two counts of unlawful possession or control of narcotics. His plea was not taken when he appeared before the court.

The first suspect in the case, 22-year-old British national Browne-Frater Chyna Jade, had earlier been remanded by a separate Circuit Court. Jade, who was intercepted at Kotoka International Airport, is believed to have been recruited to smuggle the drugs abroad.

Prosecuting the case, Principal State Attorney Hilda Craig urged the court to remand Hammond due to the seriousness of the offenses. Defense counsel, however, opposed the application, arguing for bail. The presiding judge, Mr. Isaac Addo, denied the request, citing the gravity of the charges and the potential sentence. Hammond was remanded into the custody of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and is scheduled to reappear on June 16, 2025.

According to the prosecution, officers stationed at Terminal 3 of Kotoka Airport were acting on intelligence from international partners about a syndicate trafficking Thai-grown cannabis into the UK. Jade, who was preparing to board British Airways flight BA 2068, had been flagged and placed on the Ghana Immigration Service’s Stop List.

She was apprehended on May 18 at the airport and handed over to NACOC. During interrogation, Jade stated she had checked in one suitcase, claiming ignorance of its contents. The bag was offloaded from the aircraft and opened in her presence. Officers found 32 vacuum-sealed parcels of suspected cannabis, weighing approximately 17.92 kilograms, with an estimated street value of $232,960. A preliminary test confirmed the presence of THC, the active component in cannabis.

Jade named “Joey” as the person who had invited her to Ghana and claimed he packed the suitcase while she was away. She said he told her it contained alcoholic beverages and local spices.

After an extensive search, “Joey” was identified as Hammond. On May 26, he voluntarily appeared at NACOC with his lawyer. He admitted knowing Jade and hosting her briefly in Tse-Addo but denied packing her bag or maintaining further contact.

During a search at Hammond’s East Legon residence, NACOC officers retrieved assorted weapons, seven wraps of suspected cannabis, and four partially smoked joints. A black Range Rover was also impounded. Hammond reportedly admitted to using cannabis for personal recreation.

The investigation remains active as authorities seek to unravel the full extent of the trafficking network.