Ice and Yaba Recovered in Separate Coast Guard-BGB Operations in Teknaf, 1 Arrested

PNN News Desk. Cox's Bazar

Bangladesh Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have achieved major success in anti-narcotics operations along the Teknaf border. In separate operations, 5 kg of Crystal Meth or Ice and 4,05,000 pieces of Yaba were recovered. One person was arrested during this time. A CNG-driven auto-rickshaw and a mobile phone used for transporting drugs were also seized. Station Commander Lieutenant Commander Arafat Hossain shared these details during a press conference organized at the Teknaf Coast Guard Station office on Monday (August 24) afternoon. The Coast Guard stated that based on information that a large shipment of Crystal Meth might enter Bangladesh from Myanmar through Golarchar on the Naf River near the Shah Porir Dwip area, members of the Teknaf Coast Guard Station and Shah Porir Dwip Outpost launched a special operation around 3:00 AM on Monday. Sensing the presence of the Coast Guard during the drive, the smugglers fled toward the tamarisk forest. Later, a search of the area led to the recovery of 5 kg of Crystal Meth specially packed inside tea packets wrapped in polythene. Earlier, on Sunday evening, the Coast Guard conducted a separate drive in the Kerantoli area of Teknaf. Searching a suspicious CNG-powered auto-rickshaw, they arrested a person named Necharul Islam along with 5,000 pieces of Yaba. The Coast Guard estimated the value of the recovered Yaba to be approximately 25 lakh Taka. The arrested Necharul Islam is a resident of the Damdamia Nature Park area of Hnila Union. He is the son of Nawab Mia of Fasiakhali village in Chakaria Upazila. It was learned that he lived in that area of Teknaf after marriage and drove an auto-rickshaw.

The CNG auto-rickshaw and a mobile phone used for drug transport were also seized. On the other hand, BGB recovered a large quantity of Yaba in the Moulvibazar border area of Teknaf. A special patrol team from Hnila BOP under Ukhia 64 Battalion, while on duty in the border area at night, spotted three suspicious individuals carrying sacks on their heads entering Bangladeshi territory from Myanmar. When BGB members signaled them to stop, they attempted to flee. The patrol team fired blank shots at that time. However, the suspects managed to escape. Later, a search of the scene led to the recovery of three sacks. Inside the sacks, a total of 40 cuts or 4,00,000 pieces of Yaba were found inside blue airtight packets within khaki-colored packages. Lieutenant Colonel Md. Jahirul Islam, Commander of Ukhia 64 Battalion BGB, confirmed the recovery of the Yaba through a press release on Monday afternoon. The Coast Guard and BGB informed that subsequent legal actions regarding the recovered narcotics and other seized evidence are currently underway.