The Consulate General of Ghana in Dubai has asked Ghanaians in the United Arab Emirates to advise relatives travelling to Dubai to desist from taking parcels from agents or any other person to Dubai.

The Consulate in a statement on Thursday in Accra, said in recent times, it had received information about some arrest of persons at the Dubai International Airport trying to traffic marijuana (weed) into the UAE.

It said between January and March 2021, five people had been arrested at the Dubai Airport in connection with that matter.

"All the parcels containing the weed were given to them by their agents in Ghana who acquired the UAE visa for them, with instructions to them to give the parcels to their counterpart agents in the UAE on arrival. It is also interesting to know that the weed is normally hidden in food items."

According to the statement, currently, all five people were in police detention.

It said one of them had since been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, probably for carrying weed he was not aware of and weed that someone else would have benefited from.

"In this regard, the Consulate General wishes to advise everyone who has a relative coming from Ghana to Dubai, to inform them never to take any parcel from agents or any other person to bring to Dubai except they can inspect and ascertain the true content of the parcel."