The police in Ashanti had within the past 10 months seized a number of unlicensed weapons, including five AK 47 rifles, eight imported pistols, 23 shot guns and 42 locally manufactured pistols, as part of efforts to clamp down on violent crime.
Also retrieved were 23 rounds of AK47 rifle ammunition, 12 single rounds of G3 rifle ammunition and 56 packets of "AA" and "BB" cartridges.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCOP) Patrick Timbillah, the Regional Police Commander, was speaking at a press briefing in Kumasi on the progress made so far with "Operation Drag Net", launched in January, this year.
"This operation is a response to the growing crime in the society and involves seizing illegal fire arms, arrest and prosecution of those found in possession of these weapons, clamping down on drug peddlers and locating and destroying the hideouts of criminals", he said
DCOP Timbillah said just last Thursday, the police acting upon a tip off, arrested three persons, who had offered for sale three foreign made pistols and 12 rounds of ammunition at GHC600 per pistol, at Alabar, a suburb of Kumasi.
The suspects include a 73-year old businessman, Alhaji Azuma Zamramah, Rauf Yussif, a trader aged 55, and Kwabena Nketiah, 42, secondhand clothes seller.
He said the three would soon be put before court.
DCOP Tambillah appealed for more public support by volunteering information to the police to help arrest the miscreants.
Informants, he said, would be rewarded appropriately by the Police Administration.