In an effort to clamp down on illicit drug activities in identified black spots and criminal hideouts in Warri and Ughelli, a total of 272 suspects were on Wednesday, March 25 arrested by operatives of the Delta State Police Command following raids carried out across Warri South, Uvwie, and Okpe Local Government Areas.
The raids were led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, and had the Buffalo Operational Team and other tactical units in the team.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, said that the operation, which covered Ugbrumu and Jeddo communities, was sequel to credible intelligence gathered by the State Intelligence Department (SID).
At identified criminal hideouts, including a notorious bush bar, 59 suspects, comprising 51 males and eight females, were arrested during the operation.
Thenewsbearer gathered that most of the hotels affected were operating as brothels housing prostitutes and creating a safe haven for criminal elements, while some suspected cultists who had been on the Command’s watch list were among those apprehended.
Exhibits recovered include hard drugs and substances of abuse suspected to be codeine, crack cocaine, Canadian loud, Colorado (colos), and cannabis sativa.
In a related development, on Thursday, March 26, DCP Adejobi led another team of operatives drawn from the Crack Squad, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), and Buffalo Squad in an aggressive raid of criminal locations within Ughelli town.
The operation, also based on actionable intelligence from the SID, targeted locations notorious for drug-related activities, including Epini Hotel along the Ughelli–Patani Expressway, Torsac Hotel, and Primaria Guest House, and resulted in the arrest of 213 suspects.
The PPRO noted that many of the hotels raided were found to be operating as brothels, harbouring prostitutes and serving as safe havens for criminal elements.
Exhibits recovered include large quantities of substances suspected to be Canadian loud, CSC syrup, Tramadol, Swinol, and cannabis sativa.
The suspects and exhibits, according to Edafe, had been handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, as well as the officers in charge of the Rapid Response Squad and the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), for coordinated investigation, profiling, and possible prosecution.
The PPRO stated that the Commissioner of Police, Yemi John Oyeniyi, assured members of the public that all suspects found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The police boss reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to sustaining ongoing operations across the State, including Sapele and its environs, with a view to dismantling criminal networks and enhancing public safety.
