The 55-year-old man identified as Ambrose Okeke Ifedilichukwe, died during surgery after excreting 46 pellets of cocaine at the 37 Military Hospital on Saturday evening, Ghanaian Times reports.
Prior his death, Ifedilichukwe confessed to officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) that he swallowed the substance meant to be delivered to an unknown person upon which he would receive a fee of $6,000.
The Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Enforcement at NACOB, Nii Lante Blankson, said it was possible some of the pellets leaked in the deceased's stomach.
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Ifedilichukwe, who is physically-challenged, was reportedly on an Emirate flight from Cote d’Ivoire en-route to Hong-Kong via Dubai, but while on the flight, the flight attendants noticed he was fidgeting.
On reaching KIA, Mr ifedilichukwe, was handed over to airport officials who took him to the Aviation Clinic where it was observed that he had swallowed illicit substances.
Mr. Blankson said NACOB personnel on duty at the airport, were consequently informed of the situation and they went to the clinic to interrogate the suspect, who admitted swallowing the pellets.
Ifedilichukwe was subsequently taken to the Akai House Clinic at Cantonments, where an X-ray examination confirmed some substances in his stomach.
The medical officer on duty advised that the suspect expel the substances before he could be treated, hence he was taken back to the Aviation Clinic, but his condition worsened, and he was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where he was operated upon.