Police arrest suspected drug peddlers, armed robbers

The Western Regional Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Police Service have arrested 21 suspected narcotic drug peddlers in separate operations at Enchi, Yankamem and Dadieso.

Some 467 wrappers of dried leaves, 19 compressed parcels, quantity of suspected Indian hemp seeds and 213 wrappers of brownish substance believed to be cocaine, gallons of alcohol laced with dried and some paraphernalia used in narcotic business were confiscated during the operations.

The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Isaac Quainoo, who said the dried leaves would be sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory for confirmation.

Those arrested at Yankamem included Juliet Afful, 38, Evans Ennin, 17, Kweku Nyamekye, 29, Kwame Arsah,28, and Kofi Azumah, 19.

At Dadieso, Evalis Boateng, 20, Kwabena Kyen, 21, Yaw Opoku,31, Karim Adams, 22, Kofi Bekoe, 20, Victoria Nunoo, 45, and Afua Mansah, 38, were arrested.

Marian Entaj, 56, Joana Adu, 29, Oscar Brentu, 44, Eric Tannor, 38, Kennedy Attah, Daniel Nameh, 28, Olivia Abekah, 21, Ishmael Amoako, 19 and Hannah Samaoh, 56 were arrested at Enchi.

DCOP Quainoo said one of the women suspects who was pregnant went into labour and was rushed to the Takoradi Hospital where she delivered and she and the baby are in good shape.

He said the operations formed part of the effort of the Regional Police Command to rid the region of armed robbery, use of narcotic drugs and unnecessary harassment of innocent people by criminals.

DCOP Quainoo said the suspects would be screened and those found to be involved in narcotic drugs and other criminal activities would be prosecuted.

He asked the public to assist the Police with information on criminals to enable the Police to keep the region safe and peaceful.

In another development, DCOP Quainoo said the Police had arrested six persons alleged to have been engaged in about three armed robberies involving huge sums of money at Tarkwa.

The suspects who were paraded were Michael Tetteh alias Wayo, 32, Christian Aronu, 32, Emmanuel Owusu Yeboah, 32, Joseph Boafo alias Bullet, Ahmed Adusah, 28, and Mark Lawrence Madugba Chisom, 36.

DCOP said Owusu Yeboah is a Corporal in the Ghana Air Force and five other suspects in the case are on the run.

He said the suspects robbed some gold dealers of 600,000 Ghana cedis at Akyempim, Tarkwa in September 11 last year and on October 8 last year they robbed their victims of 300.000 Ghana Cedis at Tarkwa.

The suspects were also involved in robbery in front of the Ahantaman Rural Bank at Tarkwa and made away with 1.5 million Ghana Cedis, DCOP Quainoo said.