The Northern Regional Special Operations Team of the Ghana Police Service, known as “Red Maria,” has arrested seven suspects and retrieved 40 wraps of suspected Indian hemp in an anti-drug operation in the Tamale Metropolis.

The operation, conducted on Monday, April 20, at about 8:30 pm, forms part of ongoing efforts by the Police to clamp down on drug peddling and related criminal activities in the Northern Region.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Northern Regional Police Command and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Tuesday, April 22.

According to the statement, the 44-member team carried out coordinated swoops at identified hotspots, including Zogbeli, Kukuo, and later Savelugu, based on intelligence gathered.

At Zogbeli, four suspects were arrested. They are Sulemana Sualha, 20; Alhassan Ayisha, 25; Abdul Fatawu Damba, 16; and Mohammed Amin, 20. They are accused of possessing and dealing in narcotic substances.

The team subsequently moved to Kukuo, where two additional suspects, Ibrahim Abdulai, 20, and Issah Abass, 17, were also arrested for similar offences.

Acting on further intelligence, the operation was extended to Savelugu, where Ibrahim Osuman, 21, was arrested. Preliminary investigations suggest he may be involved in drug-related activities, although a search of his room did not yield any substances.

In total, 40 wraps of suspected Indian hemp were retrieved during the operation.

All seven suspects are in police custody, assisting with investigations as authorities continue efforts to dismantle drug networks in the region.