Police arrest 32 in Tamale anti-crime sweep; One suspect killed

A major police operation in the Tamale Metropolis has led to the arrest of 32 suspects and the seizure of substantial quantities of suspected narcotics, the Ghana Police Service has confirmed.

The Special Operations Team, deployed to the Northern Region on Monday, 1 December, also reported the death of an armed suspect after officers came under fire during the exercise.

Before launching the swoop, the team—led by ASP Bawah Abdul Jalil—visited Sheikh Basha of Masjidul Bayan to inform local religious leaders of their presence and seek prayers.

ASP Jalil said the mission targeted “robbery, attacks on mobile money vendors, rape, illicit drug distribution, and other crimes undermining public safety”.

Sheikh Basha welcomed the engagement and offered prayers for the police, the Inspector-General of Police, and national authorities.

The officers first moved on a house at Sanzhirigu suspected to be a base for drug sales and consumption. Five people were arrested, and items including dried leaves believed to be cannabis and bottles of Koffex cough syrup were seized.

A second phase of the operation took the team into the Aboabo Forest enclave, a well-known hideout for criminal groups involved in robbery and drug trafficking.
A coordinated swoop resulted in the arrest of 27 additional suspects, along with opioid tablets, assorted narcotics, six motorbikes, and three mobile phones suspected to be stolen.

Police say the operation escalated when armed men confronted the officers and opened fire “without warning”. Officers returned fire, and one suspect was hit. He was taken to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

ASP Jalil described the exchange as an act of self-defence, noting that intelligence had indicated the gang was heavily armed and prepared for a confrontation.

“The officers acted professionally under life-threatening circumstances and prevented further harm to residents,” he said.

Those arrested are being held at the District Charge Office and the Sakasaka Police Station. The suspected narcotics have been sent for forensic testing, and the recovered motorbikes and mobile phones are being examined as part of ongoing investigations.

The 50-member Special Operations Team, supported by eight service vehicles including a Black Maria, is expected to continue its operations in Tamale as part of a broader strategy to curb violent crime in the Northern Region.