Use of contraband drugs continues to grow in the country, and the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has recently identified some 3,500 drug dealers alone in Dhaka division.
Based on the updated list, the state-run entity will start netting down the dealers soon in a bid to curb the trade of illegal substances.
The DNC high-ups made the disclosure at a press briefing at its headquarters at Segunbagicha in the city on Friday after busting a group dealing crystal methamphetamine, also known as ICE.
"We're strictly monitoring activities of the people, who are on our list. We are trying to arrest them as quickly as possible," DNC Additional Director Fazlur Rahman informed the media in the briefing.
He said the traders changed their strategy in bringing drugs like ICE. Instead of daylight, they are now trading the illegal substances at midnight, and even in some cases from the sea.
"We've also changed our strategy, and we're conducting operations to hunt them down."
Responding to the sources of the drugs, Mr Rahman said yaba traders are bringing ICE in Bangladesh from Myanmar. Most of the ICE dealers are highly educated, and are from very wealthy families. He noted that the law-enforcement agencies first seized ICE in the country in 2007. After a long time, the dangerous drug was again unearthed in 2019.
"Now, its trade keeps increasing, and we nabbed several people over the last two years."
He said they arrested a person in August last with ICE. Based on the information from that person, they arrested a 10-member group this month.
"We also conducted another raid following confessional statement of the arrestees and detained five more people." During the raids, the department seized more than one kg of crystal meth and 1,200 pieces of yaba.
Terming ICE a very expensive drug, he opined that people from affluent families are its main customers, as 100 gram of the drug costs Tk 10,500.
Asked why the drug dealers are not being arrested, he replied, "It is not possible to arrest everyone due to lack of evidence, as they don't deal directly, rather control the racket with money." DNC deputy director (Dhaka Metro North) Md. Rasheduzzaman and assistant director Md. Mehedi Hasan were also present during the briefing.
Crystal meth is a drug that affects the central nervous system. It comes in the form of crystal clear chunks or shiny blue-white rocks.
Use of the drug poses high risks of stroke, heart attack, teeth decay, and permanent hallucinations, among other short and long-term health effects, according to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse website.
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