Koforidua, Jan. 25, GNA - The Koforidua Magistrate Court on Tuesday remanded in police custody 27 criminals including two women who were arrested by the police at Pentua Wala, a crime-prone area in Koforidua.

Their pleas were not taken and would re-appear on Monday February 20.

The criminals were arrested in Koforidua about 0630 hours last Thursday following a special operation conducted by the New Juaben Municipal Police Command.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Monday Superintendent of Police Lovelace Kaletsi Tefutor, the Municipal Police Commander, said the operation was conducted following a tip-off that a group of criminals were harassing passengers at Pentua Wala.

He said items found on the suspects included five black polythene bags containing quantity of leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, a Toshiba Lap Top, four cutlasses, two big hammers, a bag containing a small hammer and a chisel.

Mr Tefutor assured residents that they would fish out all criminals in the municipality and deal with them drastically according to the laws of the land.