A 53-year-old man, identified as Adjei Owusu Afiriyie, has been arrested in the Ashanti Region for allegedly selling locally prepared beverages laced with suspected narcotic substances to unsuspecting customers.
According to police reports, the suspect was operating a local drinking spot known as “De-Vicky’s,” where he is believed to have been serving both sobolo, a popular locally brewed hibiscus drink, and local dry gin, commonly referred to as akpeteshie, mixed with weed.
The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation carried out by police officers on Thursday morning. During the raid at the pub, officers retrieved several containers of the suspected contaminated drinks. Items seized included seven barrels of locally manufactured akpeteshie, fifty-six branded Alomo gin bottles, one barrel filled with sobolo, and an additional gallon of sobolo, all believed to have been infused with the illicit substance.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspect had been selling the mixtures to customers over a period of time, potentially exposing them to harmful health risks without their knowledge or consent. Police sources say samples of the seized drinks are expected to be sent for forensic analysis to confirm the presence of narcotics.
Adjei Owusu Afriyie is currently in police custody assisting with investigations and is expected to be arraigned before court in the coming days.
The Ghana Police Service has reiterated its commitment to cracking down on the production and sale of contaminated alcoholic beverages and substances that pose a danger to public health, urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities in their communities.
