British Woman in Alleged Cannabis smuggling case to Remain in custody Until End of Trial

A 22-year-old British woman, Chyna Jada Browne-Frater, has been remanded into custody by the Accra Circuit Court 3 for allegedly attempting to smuggle narcotic drugs out of Ghana without lawful authority.

The arrest, which took place at Kotoka International Airport on May 18, 2025, followed intelligence received by Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) from international counterparts.

Browne-Frater faces three charges under the Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019): attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence, conspiracy to commit the crime with a suspect identified only as “Joey,” who remains at large, and unlawful possession or control of narcotic drugs.

According to the prosecution, Browne-Frater was scheduled to board British Airways flight BA 2066 bound for London when she was apprehended at Terminal 3 by officials of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

Her name had earlier been placed on the GIS Stop List based on NACOC’s intelligence linking her to a syndicate involved in trafficking cannabis grown and processed in Thailand into the UK.

A suitcase checked in under her name was traced and offloaded from the aircraft. In the presence of NACOC officers, the suitcase was opened and found to contain 32 vacuum-sealed slabs of a plant-like substance suspected to be cannabis, with an estimated street value of $232,960. A field test confirmed the presence of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis.

During interrogation, Browne-Frater claimed ignorance of the suitcase’s contents, alleging it was packed by her boyfriend Joey, who had invited her to Ghana and told her the bag contained local alcoholic beverages and spices. She denied any knowledge of the narcotic substances.

Her plea has not been taken as the court awaits results from the Ghana Standards Authority to confirm the composition of the seized substances. Presiding judge Her Honour Susana Eduful denied a bail request submitted by defence counsel Paulina Flecture, who held brief for Andrew Vortia, citing the seriousness of the offence and the need to prevent flight risk.

The accused has been remanded into lawful custody pending further investigations and legal proceedings. NACOC officials confirmed that efforts are underway to locate and apprehend the suspect’s alleged accomplice, Joey.

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