A suspected drug trafficker escaped arrest after abandoning a Toyota Sienna vehicle loaded with illicit drugs during a police stop-and-search operation along the Ozoro/Oleh Expressway in Delta State.

The vehicle, with registration number FST 242 YK, was intercepted by operatives of the Delta State Police Command’s Anti-Vice Squad at about 4:00 p.m. on June 16, 2026.

According to the police, the driver suddenly abandoned the vehicle and fled into a nearby bush while officers were conducting a routine search and questioning.

Despite an immediate pursuit by the operatives, the suspect managed to evade arrest.

A subsequent search of the abandoned vehicle led to the recovery of a large quantity of suspected illicit drugs, including Codeine, Tramadol, Swinol, Man G and Vega.

In a related development, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Vice Squad (CAVS), Ughelli, in collaboration with members of the Ughelli Vigilante Group, arrested two suspected armed robbers linked to a series of robbery incidents in Ughelli and its environs.

The arrests followed credible intelligence received by the operatives on June 14, 2026.

Acting on the information, the team stormed the Okorodafe area of Ughelli at about 4:30 p.m. and arrested a 29-year-old suspect, Moses Francis.

During preliminary interrogation, Francis reportedly confessed to participating in several robbery operations, including a robbery incident that occurred along Aro Street, Ughelli, in April 2026.

The suspect subsequently led operatives to a hideout in Ughelli, where another suspected gang member, 26-year-old Cosmos Erueseke, was arrested at about 5:40 p.m. on the same day.

The suspects are currently in police custody as investigations continue to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal syndicate and recover firearms and other exhibits allegedly used in their operations.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, commended the operatives for their professionalism and resilience and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, combating drug-related crimes and ensuring the safety of residents across the state. (Guardian)

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