Twenty suspected female commercial sex workers and 18 men have been arrested by operatives of the Anambra State security outfit, Agunechemba, during a raid on a brothel in Okpuno, Awka South Local Government Area.
Those apprehended include the brothel’s manager, supervisor, bar attendant, and storekeeper.
The operation took place on Saturday night at a brothel located at Y-Junction in the Okpuno area of Awka.
Authorities described the premises as a major criminal hub allegedly used for prostitution and the distribution of hard drugs.
Items recovered during the raid include Tramadol, Indian hemp, nitrous oxide, Rohypnol, and a locally made single-barrel shotgun.
The manager of the facility, Paul Chibuike, admitted that drugs were sold on the premises but denied ownership of the firearm.
He also claimed that some of the women arrested were students who engaged in sex work on weekends to support themselves.
Speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, stated that the property would be confiscated in line with the Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025, citing the evidence uncovered.
The Anambra State Government has since demolished the one-storey building housing the brothel.
