POLICE ARREST 81 SUSPECTS, RECOVER ILLICIT DRUGS IN DELTA

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By: Muftau Fatimo

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 81 suspected criminals during intelligence-led raids on identified criminal hideouts across the Asaba metropolis.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Warri on Saturday.

According to him, the operation, conducted on July 24, 2026, was part of the command’s proactive efforts to dismantle criminal networks and deny criminals safe havens across the state.

Edafe said the operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, alongside tactical teams of the command.

The statement read in part, “Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives raided identified criminal flashpoints, leading to the arrest of 81 suspects comprising 50 males and 31 females.

“The suspects were apprehended for offences including the sale and possession of suspected illicit drugs and the establishment of an illegal checkpoint at the Asaba-Onitsha Head Bridge.

Exhibits recovered during the operation include large quantities of Tramadol and substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

The enforcement exercise also resulted in the impoundment of five vehicles for various violations, including operating an unauthorised taxi park at Pinnacle Junction along Okpanam Road and facilitating the sale and distribution of suspected illicit drugs within the area.

“The suspects and exhibits remain in police custody as investigations continue.”

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the command’s “unwavering commitment to intelligence-led policing and proactive crime prevention.”

The commissioner warned individuals involved in criminal activities to desist or face the full weight of the law