The Anti-Armed Robbery Taskforce of the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday seized 2,882 live ammunitions from a robbery gang at Ntoaso in the Eastern Region.

The Operation based on a tip-off, also retrieved 840 rounds of M16 ammunitions, 23 BB cartridges, AK 47 Assault Riffle, M16 Riffle, Pump Action Gun, Shot Gun, locally-made pistol, 5.56 x 45mm (M16 Ammunition) and
7.62×39mm ammunitions.

Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Isaac Ken Yeboah, Director General, Criminal investigations Department, made these known during a press conference on Wednesday.

COP Yeboah said the operation was part of security measures by the Police Administration under the new Anti Armed Robbery Tasks Force (AARIF) strategy to curb robberies and other violent crimes in the country.

“Intelligence from a source had indicated that some Arms and Ammunitions had been concealed by a gang of armed robbers at Ntoaso, a town in the Eastern Region,” he added.

He said in response to the intelligence gathered, a team from the National Operations Directorate (NOD) Surveillance Unit and three other Combat Patrol Teams were dispatched to the location to retrieve the said weapons.

The Director-General said some of the suspected robbers took to their heels on seeing the Police, adding that during a search at the premises of one of the suspected robbers (yet to be identified), who was hiding in a nearby room, opened fire on the Police and in the process, hit the hand of one of the officers, injuring his two fingers in the process.

The Police responded accordingly and gunned down the suspected robber while one other was arrested.

The team, he said, continued the search and retrieved the mentioned exhibits in addition to claws, saws, knives, crowbar, traditional warrior smock, Military Camouflage uniform (top), among others for further investigation.

Mr Yeboah said as the team was on its way back to the National Police Headquarters, another suspected robber attempted to snatch the weapon of one of the operational men and in the process, a struggle ensued, leading to the death of the suspect as the gun went off.

He said the injured officer was taken to the Police Hospital for treatment and observations at the Hospital indicated that he might undergo surgery to restore the state of two of his fingers that were hit by the bullets from the suspected robber.

“Both bodies of the suspected robbers have been deposited at the Police Hospital for preservation and further action,”he told the media.

Investigations are underway to arrest the two other suspected armed robbers.