Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested seven people in separate raids in the capital, recovering contraband Indian Escaf syrup, firearms, yaba tablets and vehicles allegedly used for transporting narcotics.
According to DB, the suspects used motorcycles and armed escorts to provide security to private cars carrying drugs in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
Briefing reporters at at the DMP Media Centre on Monday afternoon, DMP's Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam said the group had long been smuggling Indian Escaf syrup from the Chapainawabganj border area into Dhaka for distribution among drug dealers.
He said the gang used armed escort vehicles to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. Efforts are underway to arrest absconding suspects and identify other members of the network.
According to the DB official, a checkpoint was set up on Gabtoli Bridge on Sunday night, where police arrested Zainal Abedin after searching his vehicle. During preliminary interrogation, he allegedly provided information about the group's activities.
The Detectives recovered two foreign-made firearms, one foreign-made LG, 15 rounds of lead ball cartridges and 100 bottles of Indian Escaf syrup from the vehicle. Another 450 bottles of Escaf syrup were seized from a separate private car. Two private cars allegedly used to transport drugs and firearms were also impounded.
Following Zainal's arrest, DB conducted another drives one in Uttara area on Monday morning and anmd another Kafrul thana area on Sunday night. During the two drives, the DB police arrested six more suspects and seized seized 1200 bottles of Indian Escaf syrup, 2,000 yaba tablets and several vehicles allegedly used for transporting narcotics.
The arrested are identified as Samiul Haque (43), Nur Islam Suruj (44), Hafizur Rahman alias Lalmia (45), Sohan Chowdhury (30), Robiul Islam Munna (24) and Kashem (35).
Shafiqul Islam claimed that the two firearms had been brought from Belgium and Myanmar by Zainal and a foreign associate.
He said police are verifying whether the firearms have valid documents. According to the DB, the firearms were mainly used to escort private cars transporting drugs.
The DB chief said the suspects used parcel consignments carrying various goods from Cox's Bazar to transport yaba to Dhaka for distribution in different parts of the capital.
According to DB, Sohan Chowdhury has multiple narcotics cases pending with Kafrul and Khilkhet police stations.