Female Dealer Among Six Nabbed as Police Smash Fentanyl Drug Syndicate in Awka North Anambra State

 

A coordinated police operation has led to the successful takedown of a major drug trafficking syndicate operating out of Isuaniocha in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The raid, conducted in the early hours of Friday, May 30, 2025, marked a significant victory in the ongoing battle against drug-related crime in the region.

Acting on credible intelligence, operatives from the Special Cultism Squad, Obosi Sector, stormed a location identified as a major hub for illicit drug activities. The operation resulted in the arrest of six individuals, including a 32-year-old female suspect, and the seizure of a substantial quantity of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

Public Relations Officer for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, released a statement on Saturday confirming the arrests and highlighting the operation as a major stride in the state’s anti-drug campaign. He detailed that alongside the arrests, officers recovered significant amounts of dried leaves believed to be hard drugs, as well as other paraphernalia typically associated with narcotics trafficking.

Among those taken into custody were Chinyere Onwuka (female, 32), John Kennedy Onwuka (male, 36), Chidiebere Onyeze (30), Echeazu Nonso (35), Osita Chukwu Chialuka (21), and Nnebedum Wisdom (25). The suspects are currently held in police custody and are slated to be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Awka, where further investigations and formal prosecution will proceed.

Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, expressed grave concern over what he described as an unsettling increase in drug abuse and trafficking, particularly among young people in Anambra. He emphasized that the proliferation of drugs plays a significant role in fueling broader criminal activity across the state, from cult-related violence to armed robbery and gang clashes.

“Drugs are the oxygen that drive most crimes and bad behaviour exhibited by individuals,” the police commissioner remarked, according to SP Ikenga’s statement. He added that the state’s police force remains committed to deploying intelligence-based strategies and community collaboration to uproot such criminal networks.

The raid in Isuaniocha is just the latest in a series of recent police efforts targeting drug-related crime across Anambra. October 2024 saw the discovery of a methamphetamine production hub in Nnewi, which led to the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of large quantities of the synthetic drug. Earlier, in July, a network based in Onitsha was uncovered with alleged links to cross-border trafficking into neighbouring states.

This string of operations reflects an evolving strategy by the Anambra State Police Command to combat not only the distribution of illicit substances but also the accompanying wave of violence and social decay. Analysts continue to draw strong connections between the rise of drug culture and spikes in cultism, street crime, and youth delinquency throughout the Southeast.

As part of a long-term prevention initiative, the Command is ramping up its community outreach and public education programs. Through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), officers are working closely with local communities to foster awareness about the dangers of drug use and criminal behavior. The initiative seeks to redirect vulnerable youth from harmful paths and strengthen ties between law enforcement and the public.

Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and actively participate in the campaign against drug trafficking. SP Ikenga reiterated the importance of public cooperation in dismantling criminal networks, encouraging citizens to report suspicious activities and protect their communities.

The Anambra State Police Command continues to pledge its commitment to rooting out the menace of drugs and creating a safer environment for law-abiding citizens. As the legal process begins for the suspects now in custody, the Command warns that it will not relent in its efforts to confront the drug problem head-on, wherever it may be found.

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