By George OPARA
About 21 suspected illicit drug dealers have been nabbed at the Owaza Mammy Market in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.
This operational success was sequel to a coordinated joint raid in the community by the 144 army Battalion under Operation Eastern Sanity.
The operation occurred out on Tuesday based on credible intelligence showing the alleged activities of crude oil bunkerers, illegal petroleum dealers, pipeline vandals, and illicit drug traffickers operating within the market and surrounding bushes.
Mazinho Attah, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Abia State, in a statement stated that the operation involved troops of the 144 Battalion (Rear) working jointly with personnel of the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force 511 Quick Response Group.
Attah added in the statement that security operatives executed a well-coordinated raid by swiftly cordoning off the market and adjoining suspected criminal hideouts before conducting an extensive search operation.
The raid, Spear News Nigeria gathered that it led to the arrest of 21 suspects allegedly found in possession of large quantities of illicit substances, including Indian hemp, rizzlers, and suspected hard drugs commonly referred to as โice.โ
Other items recovered are the sum of N103,000 believed to be linked to the suspected illegal activities.
The arrested suspects are currently undergoing preliminary profiling and are expected to be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further probe and possible prosecution.
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