Lagos Police and the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force have raided Akala area of Mushin, Lagos, and arrested fifty suspected criminals with forty-eight bags of illicit drugs.

The mid-night joint enforcement operations was led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police Soji Akinbayo, with the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, Superintendent of Police Olayinka Egbeyemi and all Divisional Police Officers under Area ‘D’ Command Mushin.

The raid was on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgar.

Egbeyemi said forty-four male and six female suspected criminals were arrested during the raid, saying forty-eight bags of substances suspected to be indian hemp with packs of other illicit drugs such as ‘Novalyn with Codeine Cough Syrub’ and ‘Tuxil-C cough & cold with Codeine’ were recovered during the mid-night raid.

According to him, his agency and other police officers were battle ready to maintain zero tolerance on criminal activities across the State as initiated and directed by the Commissioner of Police.

He commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for giving priority to security challenges in the State by supporting the Nigerian Police, including the Lagos State Task Force with needed working materials.

The Chairman, who enjoined criminals across the State to turn a new leaf or be chased out, however confirmed that Edgar had directed that all arrested 50 suspects be charge to court for prosecutions.

One of the suspects, Sunday Adesoye, a.k.a ‘Malboro’ confessed that ‘Akala’ served as a ‘Central Market’ for Indian hemp and illicit drugs to all miscreants and hoodlums across the State.

He confessed further that he sold an average of N500,000 worth of Indian hemp with other illicit drugs per day to his customers from Obalende, Oshodi, Pen-Cinema, Apapa, Lagos Island, Fadeyi, amongst others.

A female suspect, Basirat Jimoh’ a.k.a ‘Iya Suzzy’ who hailed from Ibadan in Oyo State confessed to have been trading in Indian hemp and other illicit drugs at Akala area for over 17 years.

She, however, claimed she only buy and sell India hemp and not into criminal activities.

All suspects were charged before Magistrate Lateef Owolabi of the Lagos State Mobile Court on 3-count charge of unlawful possession of weed suspected to be Indian Hemp, trading in Indian Hemp and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and disorderly manner.

Prosecuting Counsel, Oluremi Kuku said all arrested suspects pleaded not guilty before the court, while the Magistrate granted them a bail conditions and the case was adjourned to fifteenth of November, for further hearing.