Seventeen suspects are currently in police custody in Tamale after being arrested for possession of suspected Indian hemp and other illicit substances during a special security operation.
The arrests were carried out by the Inspector-General of Police Special Operations Team during patrols in the Water Works Area, Aboabo Market, and the Kamina Barracks enclave. In the course of the operation, three military personnel were also found in possession of suspected Indian hemp and have since been handed over to the Military Police Command for further action.
Among the civilians arrested were Alhassan Abdul Shakun, Hawa Yakubu, and Ikram Abdul Razak. Police said the suspects were found with suspected Indian hemp and quantities of Koffex cough syrup.
The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bawah Abdul Jalil, said the operation has disrupted the circulation of illicit narcotics in Tamale and reinforced public confidence in the Ghana Police Service. He noted that the exercise forms part of broader efforts to combat drug abuse and related crimes in the metropolis.
DSP Jalil also disclosed that the police team held separate engagements with authorities of Tamale Technical University, including the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bashiru Imoro Iden Saed, and campus security officials, to discuss safety concerns on and around the university campus.
“We are committed to addressing the security challenges on campus and ensuring the area is safe for all so that people can go about their duties without fear,” he said.
Professor Saed appealed for enhanced security interventions to protect students, staff, and university property, citing several theft cases reported at the university and its teaching hospital.
“There is an urgent need for improved security measures to safeguard the campus community and university assets,” he stated.
Police investigations into the arrests are ongoing, and the suspects are expected to be processed in accordance with the law.