Sylhet, Aug 29 (V7N) — Drug trafficking has taken an alarming turn across Bangladesh’s Sylhet Division, with narcotics entering through border routes and spreading from urban centres to remote areas. In separate operations over the past three days, law enforcement agencies seized yaba, foreign liquor, cannabis and Eskaf syrup worth Tk 61.72 lakh and arrested or detained eight people.

Although law enforcement agencies regularly seize yaba tablets, foreign liquor, cannabis and other narcotics during raids, the seizures are believed to represent only a fraction of the drugs circulating in the region.

Against this backdrop, the administration has taken a hard-line approach to curb the growing drug menace. In separate operations in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Habiganj over the past three days, law enforcement agencies seized narcotics worth approximately Tk 61.72 lakh and arrested or detained eight people.

According to police and RAB sources, the largest quantity of narcotics was seized in Sylhet district during the period. Sylhet District Police and the Detective Branch (DB) recovered 12,400 yaba tablets in separate operations, while police in South Surma seized 181 litres of foreign liquor. Airport Police Station of Sylhet Metropolitan Police also recovered 48 bottles of foreign liquor.

In Sunamganj, police at Dirai Police Station seized 1,305 yaba tablets. Meanwhile, RAB-9 recovered 361 bottles of Eskaf syrup, 6kg of cannabis and one bottle of foreign liquor from Madhabpur in Habiganj.

Sylhet District Police and DB

On Tuesday (Aug 25), acting on a tip-off, police conducted a raid in front of the Charkhai Police Camp in Beanibazar upazila and recovered 7,500 yaba tablets from a Noah vehicle.

Three people — Osman Uddin alias Maruf, 29, Parvez Ahmed, 25, and Ashraful Haque — were detained in connection with the seizure. The estimated market value of the recovered yaba was Tk 22.50 lakh.

On the same day, police at Zakiganj Police Station set up a checkpoint in the Bharan Sultanpur area and arrested a young man, Md Sayed Ahmed, 29, with 4,200 yaba tablets. The estimated market value of the tablets was Tk 12.60 lakh.

A day earlier, on Monday night (Aug 24), the Sylhet District DB conducted a raid in the Dakshin Bipak area of Zakiganj and arrested two men, Sabur Mia, 33, and Rubel Mia, 28, with 700 yaba tablets. The estimated value of the seized yaba was Tk 2.10 lakh.

In another operation on Wednesday morning (Aug 26), South Surma Police raided the Nazirbazar area and recovered 181 bottles, equivalent to 181 litres, of foreign liquor from a private car. The estimated market value of the liquor was Tk 12.40 lakh. The private car used to transport the liquor was also seized.

Sunamganj District Police

At around 10:30pm on Monday (Aug 24), police conducted a raid at Khalpar Hati Bridge in the Shyamar Char area of Charnar Char Union in Dirai upazila and detained a man, Shish Ahmed, 35, with 1,305 yaba tablets.

The estimated market value of the recovered yaba was Tk 6.52 lakh.

A case was filed under the Narcotics Control Act against Shish Ahmed and another man, Ron Das, 42, of Hashimpur village in Dirai upazila. Shish Ahmed was subsequently sent to court.

RAB-9

At around 3:30am on Thursday (Aug 27), RAB-9 conducted an operation in Rasulpur area of Shahjahanpur Union in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj and detained a woman, Fatema Begum, 25, with 361 bottles of Eskaf syrup, 6kg of cannabis and one bottle of foreign liquor.

RAB said it conducted the raid at a house following a tip-off. When the RAB team arrived, two people attempted to flee, but one of them was detained.

Based on information provided by Fatema Begum, RAB later searched two jute sacks kept under a bed in her residence and recovered the narcotics.

The estimated market value of the recovered Eskaf syrup was Tk 3.60 lakh, while the 6kg of cannabis was valued at approximately Tk 2 lakh.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police

On Wednesday night (Aug 26), Airport Police Station conducted a raid in the Dhopa Gul Point area and seized a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw carrying 48 bottles of foreign liquor.

A 19-year-old youth, Juned, was detained in connection with the incident. A case was filed against him under the Narcotics Control Act and he was subsequently sent to court.

Overall, the narcotics seized during the past three days — including yaba, foreign liquor, cannabis and Eskaf syrup — had a combined estimated market value of Tk 61.72 lakh, or approximately Tk 62 lakh, based on the valuations available.

The market value of the 48 bottles of foreign liquor seized by Airport Police Station and the one bottle recovered in Habiganj was not included in the total, as no valuation was available for those items.

Sylhet District Police Assistant Superintendent and Media Focal Point Officer Samrat Talukder said the border upazilas of the district were being used as routes for drug trafficking.

“Regular surveillance and intelligence operations are ongoing in these areas. As a result, major consignments of yaba were recently seized in Zakiganj and Beanibazar,” he said.

Although several people involved in the trafficking had been arrested, operations were continuing to apprehend the masterminds behind the drug trade, he added.

“Activities by the district police have been strengthened to combat drugs,” Samrat Talukder said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police and Media Officer Mohammad Manzurul Alam said the SMP had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs.

“Our operations against drugs, online gambling and all other criminal activities are continuing,” he said.

RAB-9 Media Officer and Additional Superintendent of Police K.M. Shahidul Islam Sohag said RAB had played a leading role since its establishment in recovering narcotics and illegal firearms and in arresting suspects involved in murder, terrorism, extortion, militancy and snatching, among other crimes.

“RAB operations have been further intensified to prevent the spread of drugs in Sylhet,” he said.

END/AKR/SMA/