Police operatives in Akwa Ibom State have arrested a 63-year-old man allegedly caught transporting large quantities of hard drugs suspected to be Indian hemp.
The suspect, identified as Asuquo Etim from Etebi Village in Esit Eket Local Government Area, was reportedly intercepted on Wednesday morning during a stop-and-search operation carried out by security operatives acting on intelligence reports.
According to a statement released by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, the suspect was allegedly moving two large bags of the suspected substances from Atabong Park towards Esit Eket before he was stopped by the police team.
Police said a search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of the bags containing substances believed to be Indian hemp.
During preliminary investigations, authorities reportedly discovered that the drugs were allegedly handed over to the suspect by a serving soldier for delivery and sale in Ibaka, located in Mbo Local Government Area.
The police spokesperson disclosed that further investigations are already ongoing to uncover other people connected to the alleged drug distribution network.
She added that efforts are being intensified to identify and arrest more suspects linked to the operation.
Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing and the fight against criminal activities across Akwa Ibom.
He warned individuals involved in drug trafficking and other criminal activities to stay away from crime or face the full force of the law.
The police command also appealed to residents to continue providing useful information that could help security agencies tackle criminal activities in the state.
