One of the suspects found with sacks of opium
Two suspected marijuana dealers are in police custody in Kasese district. The suspects are Annet Basemerat and Robert Katerega. They were arrested from Kizungu cell in Kasese Municipality on Wednesday during a joint operation involving both police and UPDF.
Eleven other suspected thugs were arrested from Kizungu and Kyakasanga upper cells. Wilfred Bagenda, the Kasese District Police Commander-DPC told our reporter that during the intelligence-led operation in Nyamwamba Division, they managed to recover four sacks of opium from the first two suspects and a number of items including phones and house break-in gadgets from the suspected thugs.
He says that there is a high possibility that the same group has been terrorizing the residents of Kasese Municipality.
Bagenda says that the operations are continuing to crack down on suspected thugs in the municipality and beyond and called on the cooperation of the local community.
Phenehansi Wakibanahe, the LC 1 chairperson of Kizungu cell also known for his high handedness in dealing with criminal elements in the area, blames the increased drug abuse for the spike in crime in the Kasese municipality of recent.
Muhasa Zainabu, a resident of Nyakasanga blames some of the land lords in the area for harboring wrong elements who are terrorizing them. She also blamed the area chairperson of failing to ruin on these groups and yet they are known.
The suspects are being held at Kasese central police station as they await to face charges of illegal possession of drugs and theft among other charges. Lately, Kasese is recording an increase in criminal cases with about 10 -20 cases being recorded at Kasese central police station alone within a week. But the DPC says there has been progress in arresting prime suspects.
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