Seventeen suspected criminals were arrested on Friday, December 13, 2025, during a special operation by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Special Operations Team in the Tamale Metropolis and the Tolon District of the Northern Region.
The arrests followed a swoop at the Waterworks area of Tamale, a location identified by police intelligence as a hotspot for criminal gangs, drug peddling, drug abuse, and related criminal activities. The suspects were apprehended after officers acted on credible information and conducted a targeted operation in the area.
Exhibits retrieved during the operation included quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, eight bottles of Koffex cough syrup, two sachets of suspected red opioid tablets, and one motorbike.
The suspects were conveyed to the Sakaksaka Police Station for detention and further investigations, while the exhibits were handed over to investigators for screening and forensic analysis.
The arrests formed part of a broader operation conducted on the same day by the IGP Special Operations Team to curb illicit drug peddling and abuse, robberies, rape, attacks on mobile money vendors, and other criminal activities threatening public safety and livelihoods within the Tamale Metropolis and the Tolon District.
A total of 49 officers, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawah Abdul Jalil, were deployed for the operation, supported by nine service vehicles, including an armoured vehicle and a Black Maria. The team commenced activities with intensified patrols within the Tamale township before extending operations towards Kasalgu along the Nyankpala Road, where searches were conducted on road users and at identified locations to detect illicit drugs and offensive weapons.
As part of efforts to strengthen community collaboration, the team extended the operation to the Tolon District and paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Tolon, Major Sulemana Abubakari (Rtd). The Chief welcomed the team and endorsed the inclusion of Tolon within the operational area, expressing concern over the growing abuse of drugs among the youth and describing the operation as timely and necessary.
A similar courtesy call was paid on the Chief of Nyankpala, Naa Mahama, who commended the police for their commitment to combating drug-related crimes.
He pledged his support by providing relevant information to aid the arrest of persons involved in drug peddling and other criminal activities, while lamenting the increasing rate of crime and the negative impact of drug abuse on the youth.
The police assured the traditional authorities of their commitment to tackling crime and the drug menace in the Northern Region, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with traditional and religious leaders in achieving sustainable security outcomes.
The operation was carried out without any casualties and significantly enhanced police visibility in the affected areas, while dealing a major blow to drug-related activities and associated crimes within the Tamale Metropolis and the Tolon District.
