Nineteen suspects have been arrested in Tamale and its environs by the Inspector General of Police Special Operations Team.

The 50 police team, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawa Abdul Jalil, conducted a coordinated night swoop on November 20, a police brief said on Friday.

The swoop, conducted at Aboabo market, Lamshegu Inner Market, Kalphonini area and Tamale main market, led to the arrest of 13 suspected gang members, five suspected drug peddlers, and an individual in possession of firearms and ammunition without lawful authority.

The following items were retrieved during the operation, which swept through multiple ghettos, kiosks, wooden structures and suspected hideouts of miscreants.

Quantities of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis, other suspected substances in sachets, motor bikes suspected to have been stolen, a locally manufactured single-barrelled gun with 13 BB cartridges, mobile phones and assorted electronic gadgets.

According to the police, the items had been catalogued and same stored. No casualties were recorded during the operation.

It said all the suspects had been detained at the Tamale Regional Police Headquarters for screening, profiling, and further investigations.

The brief said the night swoop was to clamp down on criminal hideouts and flashpoints within the Tamale Metropolis, arrest suspects involved in robbery, narcotic distribution, motorbike theft and other violent crimes.

Also, it was to retrieve offensive weapons, contraband items and suspected stolen properties, and enhance public safety and restore community confidence in law enforcement.

Before commencing the operations, ASP Jalil urged personnel to demonstrate unwavering commitment through discipline and exhibit professionalism.

He said the team remained resolute in its mandate to protect lives and property, adding that they should be ready to execute future directives with dedication and excellence.