Ashiaman: Police arrest 31 suspected criminals

By: Benjamin Xornam Glover, TEMA The police have rounded up 31 suspected criminals in and around Ashiaman in a special exercise to rid the municipality of violent crimes. The suspects were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Rapid Deployment Force, (RDF), the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team from the Tema Regional Command, the Anti-Armed Robbery Squad of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Accra Region Operation unit. The six hour operation covered suburbs such as “New York”, Atadeka, Saki, Ashiaman Market Square and other spots such as “Spider Toilet” and “I shall return” which according to the police is a known safe haven for criminals. Briefing journalists at Tema, the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCOP), Mrs Beatrice Zakpaa Vib-Sanziri said a total of 73 personnel made up of nine senior polices officers and 64 personnel carried out the operation between the hours of 10:30 am and 4:00 pm on Wednesday. She said items retrieved included quantities of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs from four of the suspects. She said others were arrested for their alleged involvement in other crimes under investigations by the police. Screening She named those in possession of substances suspected to be narcotics as, Baba Abaa, 20 years and a trader who was found with nine wrappers of the Indian hemp, Mohammed Ayuba, 19, a welder found with two wrappers of Indian hemp, Nathaniel Essilfie, 23, a mechanic with 45 wrappers of Indian hemp and Kweku Eddie, 20 unemployed who was found with 14 wrappers of Indian hemp. She said all the suspects were being held by the police pending interrogation, screening and profiling and necessary action. Identification parade DCOP Mrs Vib-Sanziri said an identification parade carried out by the Ashiaman Divisional Command revealed that three of the suspected criminals were identified by victims of robbery attacks. She named those identified as Emmanuel Kofi Ntiamoah, Emmanuel Tetteh and Dela Danladi all believed to be in their late twenties. Assurance The Tema Regional Police Commander reiterated the commitment of the police to fighting crime in the Metropolis and its environs and gave the assurance that the police was not relenting in its efforts to flush out criminals from the metropolis. Tents She disclosed that the service has secured tents from the National Headquarters which will be mounted in areas such as Gbestile, New York and Asutuare Junction to be manned by armed personnel on 24 hour duty basis to respond to crime within the vicinity as a temporary measure while efforts are made to open more police station stations in these areas. She stressed that policing in contemporary times is a shared responsibility and will therefore require cooperation with the police to get rid of the criminals from the society.