Two women, 21-year-old Beauty Buerkie Buertey and 23-year-old Maura Amissah, are in police custody in Elmina for allegedly attempting to smuggle Indian hemp to inmates at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
A statement from the Police, signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Bentum of the Public Affairs Unit and released to the Ghana News Agency, confirmed that investigations into the case are ongoing.
According to ASP Bentum, the suspects were apprehended on Monday, January 26, 2026, around 18:40 hours by prison officers at Ankaful. The officers seized food items suspected to contain Indian hemp and handed the women over to the police.
During inspection, pepper sauce (shito) mixed with substances believed to be Indian hemp was discovered hidden in a container. Samples were sent to the Narcotics Control Commission in Cape Coast for analysis, and the substances tested positive for Indian hemp.
During questioning, Buertey reportedly said the food had been brought from Accra for her family members serving time at the prison.
The Police used the occasion to remind the public that lacing food with narcotics when visiting inmates is illegal and violates prison regulations.
