The Delta State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on the sale and distribution of illicit drugs across the state, leading to the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of quantities of suspected illicit substances in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out by operatives of the Department of Operations in furtherance of the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, followed credible intelligence received by the command concerning a store allegedly being used for the sale and distribution of illicit drugs.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the operatives were on routine patrol along Alegwe Street, off Owa Road, Agbor, when they acted on the intelligence and raided the suspected drug outlet.

Six suspects were apprehended during the operation. They were identified as Anabel Haruna, 18; Terhemen Faith, 19; Kaityo Abigail, 23; Iorkee Eunice, 26; and Osomuri Emmanuel, 31, while the identity of a 15-year-old female juvenile arrested during the operation was withheld in accordance with applicable protections for minors.

The command said the operation was extended to a vehicle linked to the suspects, where police operatives recovered quantities of Tramadol, Rohypnol and other substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

The suspects and recovered exhibits have been taken into police custody as investigators intensify efforts to unravel the source of the substances, establish the roles allegedly played by those arrested and determine whether the operation is connected to a wider drug distribution network.

The latest arrest forms part of the Delta State Police Command’s broader effort to disrupt criminal networks and prevent illicit drugs from becoming a major driver of insecurity across the state.

Speaking on the development, CP Erale warned individuals and groups involved in the illicit drug trade that the command would continue to identify, target and dismantle drug distribution networks operating in Delta State.

The Commissioner of Police expressed concern over the relationship between the proliferation of illicit drugs and violent crime, stressing that the illegal drug trade could contribute to other forms of criminality and threaten public safety.

He therefore directed police operatives across the command to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement operations against drug dealers, distributors and their networks.

CP Erale maintained that Delta State would not be allowed to become a safe haven for illicit drug dealers or any other criminal enterprise, urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying criminal activities within their communities.

The command assured residents that information supplied to the police would be treated with appropriate confidentiality, while reiterating its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at protecting lives and property and maintaining peace and security across the state. (The Guardian)