The Ghana Police Service has intensified its fight against narcotics trafficking and violent crime in the Upper East Region following the arrest of 74 suspects in two major intelligence-led operations.
The operations, carried out by the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Operations Team in Paga and Navrongo, led to the retrieval of suspected narcotic substances, motorbikes, and assorted foreign cigarettes believed to be linked to criminal activities.
According to a police statement, the first operation took place on May 20 within the Ghana–Burkina Faso border buffer zone at Paga, resulting in the arrest of 40 suspects made up of 28 males and 12 females.
The suspects included 23 Ghanaians, eight Nigerians, six Burkinabés, one Malian, and one Togolese national.
Police also retrieved parcels and sacks of suspected narcotic substances together with five motorbikes allegedly used in distribution activities.
A second swoop operation conducted on May 22 targeted identified criminal hotspots in Navrongo, including the Condemned Road Corridor, “After Six” Spot, and “Lighter Inn” Spot.
That exercise led to the arrest of 34 additional suspects and the retrieval of 11 motorbikes, suspected narcotics, and foreign cigarettes.
The statement indicated that the suspects were arraigned before High Court Two presided over by Ernest Pascal Gemadzie.
Sixteen suspects were remanded into police custody and are expected to reappear before the court on June 4, while the remaining suspects are undergoing further profiling and investigations.
Police said all suspects remain in custody assisting investigations as efforts continue to track down other individuals linked to criminal activities in the area.
