COX'S BAZAR, May 2: Bangladesh Coast Guard members and Teknaf police seized 8,15,360 pieces of contraband yaba pills worth Tk 3.0m(30 lakh) in three separate raids in Saint Martin's Island and Teknaf in the last two days.
According to sources, on a tip-off on yaba smuggling from Myanmar, a team of Coast Guard took position in Saint Martin's Island on Tuesday night. In the late night Coast Guard team challenged a Teknaf-bound engine- driven boat in Saint Martin's Jetty ghat area. Coast Guard members recovered 3,60,000 pieces yaba pills searching the boat.
During raid Coast Guard members arrested four yaba smugglers from the boat. They were identified as Lutfur Rahman (34), Rafiq Ahmed (32), Abul Kashem (37) and Sultan Ahmed (30). They hail from Naya Para village under Teknaf upazila.
Station Commander of Coast Guard in Teknaf Lt Faisal Bin Rashid confirmed the matter. The arrested persons were handed over to Teknaf police station. A case was filed in this connection, Lt Faisal said.
On the other hand, a team of Teknaf police station recovered 4,52,680 pieces of yaba pills searching from a pickup van in Rajar Chhora area of Teknaf Sadar union on Tuesday early morning. Officer in-charge (OC) of Teknaf police station Ranjit Kumar Barua confirmed the information. Police team raided a parked pickup van and recovered the yaba pills.
A case was filed in this connection against pickup driver and owner, OC said.
In another drive Teknaf police recovered 2,680 pieces yaba pills searching body of a young man in Beinga Para village of Sabrang union under Teknaf upazila on Tuesday morning.
Police arrested yaba bearer Mahmudul Haque (24).
OC of Teknaf police station Ranjit Barua said that police took zero tolerance against yaba smuggling. At any cost we would fight against drug. We have to stop this illegal trade for the sake of our next generation, he said
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