The Delta State Police Command arrested 81 suspects during an intelligence-led raid on criminal black spots in Asaba on July 24, the command said in a statement on Friday.
Police said the operation, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations with tactical teams, targeted identified criminal flashpoints across the metropolis. The arrested group includes 50 males and 31 females, detained on allegations ranging from sale and possession of suspected illicit drugs to operating an illegal checkpoint at the Asaba–Onitsha Head Bridge.
Officers recovered large quantities of Tramadol and substances believed to be Indian hemp, the statement added. Five vehicles were also impounded for offences including running an unauthorised taxi park at Pinnacle Junction along Okpanam Road and allegedly being used to facilitate the sale and distribution of the suspected drugs. All suspects and exhibits remain in police custody as investigations continue, the Delta command said.
Commissioner of Police CP Yemi Oyeniyi affirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and warned that those involved in criminality would face prosecution.