In a major drug bust, police operatives in Ondo State arrested two suspected traffickers—one of them a minor—while transporting 51 bags of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp along Ikare Junction in Owo.
The suspects, identified as Usman Muhammad (17) and Usman Bashir (27), both hailing from Kaduna State, were caught with the contraband weighing an estimated 459kg. Each bag reportedly weighed 9kg.
Confirming the arrest in a statement issued in Akure, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the operation was part of the Inspector-General of Police’s renewed directive to clamp down on drug trafficking and criminal networks nationwide.
“In strict compliance with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, officers have intensified intelligence-led operations targeting drug peddlers and criminal financiers behind cult-related violence and other crimes,” Olayinka stated.
The duo was arrested by operatives of the Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS) following credible intelligence on Wednesday, June 19, 2025, at approximately 9:50 a.m.
The recovered drugs have been secured as evidence, and police say the suspects remain in custody as investigations continue into the larger drug trafficking syndicate.
Commending the swift action of his officers, the Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to eradicating organized crime, stressing that no criminal enterprise will be spared in the ongoing offensive.
He further assured residents that the police remain fully committed to restoring and maintaining peace and safety across Ondo State.
