RAB arrests drug peddlers disguised as fishermen

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has recently arrested five people and seized drug consignments in Gazaria area of Munshiganj.

The group used to collect crystal meth (ice) and yaba in the deep sea from Sonadia Island in Cox's Bazar disguised as fishermen.

The arrestees are Jasim Uddin alias Jasim, 32, Maksud Mia, 29, Riaz Uddin, 23, Shahin Alam, 27 and Shamsul Alam, 35. All of them live in Sonadia, Cox's Bazar.

According to RAB, it took 20 to 25 days to collect each consignment.

They appeared in the guise of ordinary fishermen and acted in such a way as not to catch the eye of law enforcement.

A total of 12 kg of ice, one lakh pieces of yaba, 4,600 pieces of anaesthetic drugs, sedative injections, two foreign pistols, nine rounds of ammunition, two flashlights, Burmese SIM card, Tk1.84 lakh and 1 lakh kyat, and five mobile phones have been seized, Commander Khandaker Moin, director of the Legal and Media Wing, told a news conference at the RAB Media Centre on Thursday after their arrest on Wednesday (2 March).

He said members of Myanmar's drug cartel handed over the drug shipment to the Bangladeshi ring in a deep-sea trawler south of St Martin's Island in Cox's Bazar.

After receiving it, they moved to Sonadia Island. Later they were hidden in different places of Sonadia and Maheshkhali islands.

Then, the ring brought the shipment to Hatiya, Noakhali by two boats. It was stored under the gang's supervision. Later, it was delivered to different places of Gazaria of Munshiganj and Dhaka by Meghna River by engine driven boat.