22-year-old learns about 'kush' in California, cultivating in Dhaka using remote-controlled lab

A 22-year-old Bangladeshi youth who learnt advanced cannabis cultivation techniques in the United States allegedly set up a remote-controlled laboratory in Old Dhaka to grow 'Kush', an unconventional and high-potency variety of marijuana, according to the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).

The DNC revealed the details following a recent operation in Gazipur, where it intercepted a parcel containing drugs bound for the United States. Investigators say the cultivation and trafficking network was operated from Dhaka while being supervised remotely from California.

The accused has been identified as Tausif Hasan, who, according to the DNC, learned the cultivation process while living in California. He allegedly established a laboratory inside his residence in the Wari area of Old Dhaka and monitored temperature and other conditions through remote-control technology while staying abroad. 

Officials also claim that a female friend assisted him in running the operation.

The matter came to light after the DNC received intelligence suggesting an attempt to smuggle yaba pills to the United States through an international courier service. Acting on the information, the department conducted a raid on Tuesday at a courier office in the Tongi area of Gazipur and recovered 32 yaba tablets.

According to officials, the parcel had been booked on 3 January for shipment to the US using a fake national identity card.

DNC sources said the yaba pills were allegedly sent by one of Tausif's female associates in Dhaka to him in California. She was identified after CCTV footage from the courier office was analysed and was later arrested during a raid in the Khilgaon area of the capital.

Following her arrest and subsequent interrogation, DNC officials raided Tausif's residence in Wari. During the operation, Md Raju Sheikh, 39, the caretaker of the house, was also arrested for allegedly supplying yaba to the woman. A case has been filed against the accused at Tongi West Police Station.

'Kush' harvested from indoor setup

Investigation officials said a laboratory designed for cultivating 'Kush' - described as an improved and potent variety of cannabis - was discovered inside Tausif's living room.

Items recovered from the house included Kush seeds allegedly brought from California, cultivated plants, freshly harvested Kush, specialised cultivation and smoking equipment, and foreign liquor. 

Officials also found multiple cultivation tubes inside a temperature-controlled room made of tin sheets and foil paper on the rooftop.

The operation was led by Mehedi Hasan, deputy director of the DNC's intelligence wing.

"Tausif is a US citizen. He comes to the country several times a year. He has brought Kush seeds from California and set up a lab to cultivate them in his house," Mehedi Hasan said.

Background and investigation

According to investigation sources, Tausif grew up in the Wari area of Dhaka. After his father's death, his mother remarried and left, and he was raised by his grandparents. He completed his O-level education in Bangladesh before moving to the United States, where he later obtained US citizenship and settled permanently. Despite this, he reportedly visited Bangladesh several times each year.

Investigators said he became acquainted with the woman involved during his O-level studies and later allegedly used her in drug trafficking activities.

The case statement notes that the parcel intercepted in Gazipur contained amphetamine-based yaba pills that were specially concealed. The seizure was conducted in the presence of the courier service's senior manager Md Abdul Gaffar, 36, and employee Khurshid Alam, 35.

The commercial invoice for the shipment listed the recipient as Tausif Hasan, with an address at 825 Bush Street, Apartment 501, San Francisco, California, while the sender was identified as his girlfriend in Dhaka.

DNC officials said the investigation is ongoing to verify the identities and addresses of all those involved and to determine whether the operation is linked to a larger drug trafficking network.