Mogadishu — Somali police launched a series of targeted anti-narcotics operations in the southern town of Dhobley and the capital, Mogadishu, officials said Friday, as part of a nationwide crackdown on the illicit drug trade.

In Dhobley, near the Kenyan border, security forces conducted house-to-house searches across several neighborhoods. The operation resulted in the arrest of multiple suspects accused of trafficking, as well as individuals caught using illegal substances.

"Our forces successfully seized quantities of cannabis and other narcotics during the raids," a local police spokesperson said. "While several key suspects remain at large, we are actively pursuing them to dismantle these local distribution networks."

Meanwhile, in the Karaan district of Mogadishu, authorities made a public demonstration of their resolve by burning a large cache of confiscated narcotics. The destroyed items included various stimulants and illicit drugs seized during recent security sweeps in the capital.

The Somali police statement emphasized that these operations are aimed at mitigating the "health, security, and social devastation" caused by drug abuse.

The intensified crackdown comes amid growing concerns from community leaders over the rising impact of narcotics on Somali youth and its links to broader urban crime.