Khaberni - A violent armed battle broke out on the banks of the Nile River this Sunday morning between the Egyptian police forces and a group of drug dealers, resulting in the death of one of the most dangerous criminal elements in the region and the drowning of several of his associates following the explosion of a boat they were trying to escape in across the Nile waters.
According to Egyptian media, the village of Kafr Bilshay in Gharbia Governorate witnessed a state of panic among residents after waking up to an explosion and the sound of intense gunfire, in one of the fiercest security campaigns the area has seen in recent months.
The operation came following precise information received by the Egyptian security forces that a group of drug dealers was using a remote area overlooking the Nile as a hub to promote drugs, using small boats to transport them between neighboring villages in organized smuggling operations that are difficult to detect.
Immediately, the Ministry of Interior prepared a comprehensive plan in coordination with the Public Security sector, deploying trained teams from the Criminal Investigation Department for a quality raid this morning, aiming to apprehend the suspects and end their criminal activity.
As soon as the force approached the hideout, the suspects started firing a barrage of bullets from inside a hut overlooking the Nile, prompting the forces to exchange fire in a clash that lasted about ten continuous minutes, before one of the shots hit a gas cylinder inside one of the boats the suspects were trying to escape in, leading to its explosion and sinking with all on board.
The confrontation ended with complete control by the forces without any losses amongst them, while the main suspect known as "Hamasa" died from his injuries and was transferred to the morgue at Kafr El-Zayat General Hospital under the disposition of the public prosecution.
The security forces utilized the coast guard and divers to retrieve the bodies of the dead and drowned, and one of them was found after hours of searching, with ongoing efforts to find the rest.
The investigations revealed that "Hamasa," considered to be one of the most dangerous elements, was 35 years old, with a criminal record in drug trafficking and possession of firearms, and was leading a network distributing drugs relying on agricultural areas and rough roads to avoid security pursuit.
Security personnel found inside the hideout large quantities of drugs, firearms, ammunition, and tools used for weighing and packing, in addition to several mobile phones which are being examined to identify the accomplices of the suspects and drug distribution lines.
