A  bus driver and his associate have been detained with 1.700 Kg crystal methamphetamine (ice) from the capital’s Jatrabari area. The detainees were identified as Jahangir Alam Hossain, the ringleader of the drug peddling gang and the main trader of crystal meth in Teknaf, and his associate Mehedi Hasan, Additional director of Department of Narcotics Control Al Amin told reporters at a press briefing at its office in the city on Wednesday noon.   Acting on a tip-off, a team of Department of Narcotics Control led by Assistant Director (Detective) Muhammad Rifat Hossain detained the duo after conducting a drive in front of Alkarim Hospital in Jatrabari on Tuesday afternoon with 1.700 Kg crystal worth Tk 50-60 lakh, he said. Jahangir Alam Hossain used to trade crystal meth from Cox's Bazar’s Teknaf to Dhaka in the guise of a bus driver  of St Martin Paribahan. Read more: Over 2 kg Crystal Meth seized in Cox’s Bazar Jahangir has been involved in Yaba peddling since 2015 and crystal meth smuggling since 2020. Earlier he used to deliver the drugs to Dhaka from Teknaf border. Later, he himself formed a ring to do such smuggling, said the officer, said Al Amin. He also formed a separate syndicate for smuggling and selling crystal meth only due to its high price. He used to smuggle the drugs directly to his customers through his associates Mehdi. Jahangir was arrested four times by the law enforcers for his involvement in drug peddling, said the officer. Legal processes  are underway to file a case against them, he added.

Up to 3,500 people are involved in illicit drug business in the capital, the Department of Narcotics Control said on Friday vowing to crack down on them soon. Some of the listed people are directly involved in drug dealing, some are patrons or investors, Fazlur Rahman, Head and Additional Director of Department of Narcotics Control’s Dhaka Division, told a press conference in Dhaka.   Recently, a team of the Narcotics Control Department (DNC) of Dhaka Metro-North arrested five drug dealers along with 560 grams of ice and 1,200 pieces of yaba worth Tk 90 lakh after conducting drives in Gulshan, Bhatara, Kuril and Ramna areas of the capital. This was the largest-ever seizure of ice in Dhaka, claimed the agency. Read: Detectives arrest fugitive drug dealer in Natore The list of drug dealers was compiled after analyzing information from the imams, public representatives, locals, victims, drug addicts, previous drug related crimes and law enforcement agencies, he said.

Local people thrashed six members of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) suspecting them as ‘extortionists’ during a drive at Zafarganj in Debidwar Upazila of Cumilla district on Wednesday. A video of the incident went viral on social media. Police and witnesses said a six-member team of the DNC’s Cumilla office -- inspector Abu Bakar Siddique, assistant sub-inspectors Uttambaran Debnath and Abul Kashem; sepoys Shariful Islam, Mithun Chandra Robi Das and driver Rafiqul Islam -- went to Bazlu Mia’s house in the vicinity of the Gumati River in the area. They raided the house to arrest Bazlu’s son Russel Islam for his alleged involvement in drug peddling, but he was not there at home at that moment. Russel’s sister, Moyna Akhter, alleged that the DNC officials themselves kept some drug substances in their house and later claimed that her brother had brought it there as he has involvement in drug peddling. “They threatened to arrest me and my elderly mother if we don’t give them information about the whereabouts of Ruseel or Tk 20,000 in bribe. Later, I gave them Tk 6,000 and settled the matter,” she said. As local people came to know about the matter, Moyna said they halted the DNC members while they were leaving the area. At one stage, angry people started beating them suspecting them as extortionists and fake officials. Three DNC members fled the spot in the face of mass beating while the rest three were taken to the house of a local senior police official who came home receiving the death news of his brother. Being informed by the police official, Debidwar Brahmanpara circle ASP Amir Ullah and Debidwar Police Station OC Arifur Rahman visited the spot and brought the situation under control. ASP Amir Ullah said the DNC team had been to the area to conduct an anti-drug drive and recovered some drug substances from Russel’s house. He said there was a misunderstanding between local people and the DNC members as Russel’s family said there was no drug in their house. Amir said they found Tk 6,000 in the wallet of a DNC official.  “But there was more money with Tk 6,000 in the wallet.  So, it’s difficult to prove that the DNC team took that money from Russel’s family.” He said they informed the DNC high officials about the matter to take necessary steps after investigation.

A discussion meeting has been held at the town hall auditorium in the district marking the 30th founding anniversary of the Department of Narcotics Control with the theme 'Madok Rukhbo, Bangabondhur Sonar Bangla Gorbo'.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said the smuggling of dangerous drug Yaba could not be stopped as neighbouring Myanmar has failed to live up to its commitment.