The police in Delta State have intercepted a Toyota Sienna allegedly conveying cartons of suspected illicit drugs and military camouflage items from Onitsha in Anambra State towards Ondo State.
A 45-year-old man, Isaac Urji, from Abia State, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested during the operation.
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The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.
According to the statement, operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Asaba, acted on a tip-off that a Sienna vehicle carrying suspected illicit drugs and military accoutrements was travelling along the route.
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“The operatives mounted surveillance and intercepted the green Toyota Sienna at about 4:50 a.m. on 18 September,” Mr Edafe said.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of cartons of suspected Tramadol and other suspected illicit drugs, the police said.
Police also recovered military camouflage uniforms, boots and hats.
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The police said Mr Urji was arrested and is assisting investigators to establish the source and intended destination of the consignment.
The command said efforts were also underway to identify other persons connected to the recovered items.
Separate cultism operations
The vehicle interception was one of several intelligence-led operations conducted by the police in the state against suspected criminal activities in the state.
In a separate operation at Alisheme Community, Ika South Local Government Area, operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Sector III, Ubulu-Uku, arrested two suspected cultists on 18 September.
The suspects were identified as Destiny Okafor, 18, and Sunday Bryan, 22.
Police said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were members of the Neo Black Movement Confraternity, otherwise known as Black Axe, and were suspected of involvement in cultism and kidnapping-related activities.
A locally fabricated single-barrel gun, battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones and a laptop were recovered during the operation.
In another operation on 15 September, four suspected cultists were arrested around Ogboli Quarter and other parts of Issele-Uku, Aniocha North LGA.
The operation was led by the Divisional Police Officer of Issele-Uku Division and involved police anti-cult personnel, vigilantes, hunters and Forest Security operatives.
Police said two locally made pistols, a pump-action gun and six live cartridges were recovered.
The six suspects arrested in the two separate cultism operations are in custody while investigations continue.
READ ALSO: NDLEA seizes tonnes of cannabis, other drugs in seven states
Wider crime concerns
The latest operations come amid heightened police efforts to tackle violent crime in Delta State.
The police recently launched a manhunt for armed robbery suspects following an alleged attack on a resident in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area, this newspaper reported.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Samuel Erale, said the command would sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism and the proliferation of illegal firearms across the state.
He urged residents to continue providing credible information to the police, assuring them that such information would be treated confidentially.
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