Sixty eight suspected criminals have been rounded up in a police swoop in Kampala central business district.

The suspects were picked up from Kisenyi and Nakivubo channel in an operation on Wednesday morning involving Field Force Police-FFP officers from Old Kampala police and Central Police stations.

Police swung into action following complaints from residents and business people operating around Nakivubo and Kisenyi about broad daylight theft in their areas.

Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson said that some of the victims of mugging have severally filed cases after losing their property to criminals who often try to push them into Nakivubo water channel.

“It is alleged that the channel acts as a den of thieves who waylay their victims, rob and assault them and run back to the channel. They will be investigated on allegations of aggravated and simple robberies and be arraigned in courts of law as soon as possible,” Owoyesigire said.

He added that some of the suspects were dragged underwater pipes and dark spots in the water trench.

Joseph Kyeyune, one of the victims from Nankulabye told detectives at Old Kampala police station that thugs attacked him while in a jam near Aga Khan schools in Kampala as he returned from Entebbe on September 26th, 2021.

In his statement, Kyeyune said the attackers smashed his windscreen with stones and grabbed his bag that was in the vehicle containing Shillings 3million plus his phones. The operation comes days after another that led to the arrest of 58 people in Makindye division in connection to a spate of robberies.

A team of officers from Katwe south police division conducted the operation in Masaja, Salaama, Mutundwe and Bunamwaya all in Makindye on Thursday last week. It followed numerous complaints about increased attacks on motorists, pedestrians and residents by unknown thugs.