The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Katsina, said that the suspect was arrested during an operation in Mashi Local Government Area of the state.

Sadiq-Aliyu also said that the suspect was arrested at about 8p.m., on Monday by operatives of the command during a routine visibility patrol along the Mashi-Birnin Kuka border axis.

He said the arrest followed credible intelligence received by the police.

According to him, a thorough search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of 28 blocks of dried leaves strongly suspected to be cannabis sativa.

“The suspect confessed during interrogation to trafficking the illicit substance with the intention of distributing and selling it within the state and beyond.”

The police spokesman said that the suspect was still in custody while an investigation was ongoing, adding that he would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

Sadiq-Aliyu quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ali Umar-Fage, as reaffirming the command’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse across the state.

The commissioner warned drug traffickers and other criminal elements to desist from their activities or face the full weight of the law.

He also commended residents for their continued support and cooperation with the police in the fight against crime and criminality in the state.