The Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command, has said that its operatives busted a major drug trafficking syndicate operating in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government Area of the State and arrested six suspects, including a female drug dealer.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the raid was carried out in the early hours of Friday, May 30, 2025, by operatives of the Special Cultism Squad, Obosi Sector, following a tip-off.
“During the raid, six suspects including a female drug dealer were arrested, and a large quantity of dried leaves suspected to be hard drugs and other incriminating hard substances were recovered in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government,” Ikenga said.
The police spokesperson identified the suspects as Chinyere Onwuka (female, 32), John Kennedy Onwuka (male, 36), Chidiebere Onyeze (30), Echeazu Nonso (35), Osita Chukwu Chialuka (21), and Nnebedum Wisdom (25).
Ikenga, who said the suspects are currently in police custody added that they will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Awka, for further investigation and prosecution.
Orutugu frowned at the relative rise in drug consumption by the teeming youths and noted that drugs are the oxygen that drive most crimes and bad behaviour exhibited by individuals, according to Ikenga.
The Commissioner also reiterated the Command’s commitment to intensifying community-based awareness campaigns through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV).
The initiative, according to the command, is aimed at educating youths on the dangers of drug use and criminal behaviour.
The latest crackdown is part of a broader effort by the Anambra State Police to combat the surge in drug-related crimes.
Similar incidents in the past year have raised alarm across the region.
In October 2024, a drug den operating in Nnewi was uncovered, leading to the arrest of four individuals and the recovery of large quantities of methamphetamine.
Earlier in July, another syndicate in Onitsha was linked to cross-border trafficking routes into neighbouring states.
Analysts have repeatedly linked the rising drug culture to increased cult-related violence, armed robbery, and other violent crimes in the southeast.
As the suspects await transfer to NDLEA, the Police have called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, emphasising the importance of public cooperation in the ongoing war against drugs and associated criminal networks.
The Anambra State Police Command reaffirmed its resolve to rid communities of the scourge of illicit drugs and ensure a safer environment for all citizens.
