The Special Operations Team of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has arrested 74 individuals during two intelligence-led operations aimed at cracking down on drug trafficking, violent crime, and other criminal activities in the Upper East Region.

According to a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on May 25, 2026, the operations were conducted between May 20 and May 22 in Paga and parts of the Navrongo Municipality.

The first operation took place on May 20 within the Ghana–Burkina Faso border buffer zone at Paga, where officers arrested 40 suspects made up of both Ghanaians and foreign nationals.

Police said the suspects included 28 men and 12 women, comprising 23 Ghanaians, eight Nigerians, six Burkinabés, one Malian, and one Togolese national.

During the exercise, officers recovered several exhibits, including parcels and sacks of suspected narcotic substances as well as five motorbikes believed to have been used in distributing the drugs.

A second intelligence-led operation was later carried out on May 22 in the Navrongo Municipality, targeting identified criminal hotspots such as the Condemned Road Corridor, “After Six” Spot, and “Lighter Inn” Spot.

That exercise led to the arrest of an additional 34 suspects, made up of 32 men and two women.

Police also retrieved 11 motorbikes, quantities of suspected drugs, and assorted foreign cigarettes during the swoop.

According to the statement, some of the suspects have already been arraigned before High Court Two, presided over by His Lordship Justice Ernest Pascal Gemadzie.

The police disclosed that 16 suspects were remanded into police custody and are expected to reappear before the court on June 4, 2026.

The remaining suspects are assisting with ongoing investigations, while security agencies continue efforts to apprehend other individuals believed to be connected to the criminal networks.