Lome, Sept 20, GNA - A Togolese security agent has hailed the emerging collaboration between Ghanaian and Togolese security in fighting crime along their common frontier at Aflao.

The agent, name withheld, was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday in the Togolese capital of Lome, following another joint dawn operation by the two sides last weekend.

The operation led to the arrest of seven suspected hardened criminals said to be on police wanted list in both countries.

They are Lucky Nwachukwu, 28, Chibuzoi Nnadodu, 31 and Emmanuel Chiki, 24, all Nigerians and Doe Adukonu, 22, Kofi Edem Kulewonu, 23, Mawuli Adzuglo, 24 and Kodzo Sru, 24, all Togolese.

The agent said the joint exercise, which was commenced months ago, after series of deadly armed robberies on either side of the border has greatly eased the difficulty in fighting crime in the area.

He said the operations would gradually erase any traces of mistrust between the two countries and facilitate greater economic and political cooperation in line with the ECOWAS agenda.

Mr Ahmed Issah Yakubu, Aflao District Police Commander, who led the Ghanaian contingent, drawn from Aflao, Keta, Anloga, Agbozume and Ho in the operation with the Togolese Gendarmerie, said the intelligence networking exposed the hideout of the suspects.

He said the seven would be handed over to the Togolese authorities after preliminary investigations at Aflao.

Mr Yakubu said one Yaovi Tay, 27, a Ghanaian suspected criminal wanted for series of crimes was also nabbed and a quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was found in his room at Rainbow