Cashing in on the ongoing volatile political situation, contraband drug smuggling syndicates are now doing brisk business in the country, narcotics intelligence officials said.
Expressing concern over the growing inflow of Yaba tablets into the country, they said illegal drug traders think it is high time for them to do brisk trade as law enforcers now remain busy tackling violence.
They voiced concern just after members of the Bangladesh Navy seized 1.5 million pieces of Yaba tablets worth 830 million, the biggest-ever haul of 'crazy' drug in country's history, from a fishing trawler at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port early Thursday.
The law enforcement agencies such as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized more than 2.0 million pieces of Yaba tablets from different parts of the country in last 35 days.
Over 6.0 million pieces of Yaba pills were seized in 2014, followed by 2.8 million in 2013, 1.9 million in 2012, 1.3 million in 2011 and 0.8 million in 2010, official data showed.
Seeking anonymity, an intelligence official at Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) said they have got enough information about a change in drug smuggling trading pattern after they had interrogated several arrestees in recent times.
"And it has been proved through frequent seizures by the security forces," he said, adding that at present, the prime task of law enforcers is to ensure the movement of vehicles rather than checking transports and passengers.
DNC Director (operations and intelligence) Pranab Kumar Neogi said they are raising concern over the growing inflow of Yaba as it has become difficult for the law enforcement agencies to check intrusion of the drug through unprotected border areas especially with Myanmar.
"The situation is alarmingly as it is really difficult to handle the ongoing violent activities," he said, adding that they are now putting their all-out efforts to deal with such a big task.
In the face of the growing inflow of Yaba, BGB has planned to open its air wing in Chittagong Hill Tracts aiming to contain trans-border crimes along 500 kilometre-stretch of unfenced border with Myanmar and India.
When contacted, a senior BGB officer said paramilitary force will soon invite a tender to purchase helicopters after getting necessary funds from the authorities concerned.
He said initially, they proposed buying four helicopters for the wing which will have around 300 personnel.
"In the unguarded border stretch, there will be 107 BGB new camps and of them, 72 located in hard-to-reach areas will have copter facilities," he said.
Yaba, a tablet of amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS), is believed to have originally been manufactured by the Nazis to help keep their troops awake for days.
It is highly addictive and the side effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia and aggressiveness.
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