United News of Bangladesh

Highway police have seized a CNG-run autorickshaw along with 90 bottles of contraband Phensedyl in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet on Wednesday night. Tamabil Highway Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Habibur Rahman said being tipped-off they set up a checkpost on Sylhet-Tamabil Highway in Katagang area around 10:30pm. Read: Five drug peddlers held with phensedyl in Sylhet Sensing the presence of the checkpost, the drug dealers fled away leaving the autorickshaw with the phensedyls, he said. The vehicle had no number plate. Later, the vehicle with the drugs was seized, the OC said, adding that a process was underway to file a case in this connection.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three suspected drug peddlers with 400 bottles of phensedyl from Gopalnagar Mor area under Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj on Saturday night. The arrestees were identified as Joni Molla, 32, Shakil Ahmed, 24, and Salam Reza, 25 -- all residents of Bogura Sadar upazila. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-5) conducted a drive at the Gopalnagar Mor area and arrested the three with 400 bottles of phensedyl from a mini-truck, said a press release from RAB. RAB-5 Chapainawabganj Camp Company Commander Lt Ruh-fi-Tahmin Taukir led the drive. A case was filed against the arrestees with Shibganj Police Station.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a ban on transporting Phensedyl declaring it as a drug. A five-judge virtual bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique declared this while delivering the verdict in a narcotics case in the morning. In this regard, Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath said codeine, one of the components of Phensedyl, is recognized as a drug. READ: RAB captures 2 Phensedyl dealers Earlier in the day, the Appellate Division upheld the life sentence of Badal Kumar Pal in a case over the seizure of 250 bottles of Phensedyl from his possession in 1997. Badal Pal of Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila was sentenced to life in prison in 2000. On appeal against the verdict, the High Court acquitted Badal in the cases. Later, the state went to the appellate division against the HC order. The verdict in this case is expected to determine proper disposal of many cases related to phensedyl.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two alleged drug traders and seized 1000 bottles of phensedyl from Basila Tin Rastar Mor  in the city early Tuesday.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested a drug peddler with 447 bottles of phensedyl from Mouchak Bus stand area in Narayanganj on Friday morning.

Law enforcers in separate drives arrested seven suspected drug dealers from different areas in Shibganj and Godagari upazilas on Monday.

Drug smugglers have been coming up with new tactics to evade detection. In a latest attempt, a man was caught smuggling contraband phensedyl cough syrup from India in bottles of fruit juice.

Thakurgaon, Oct 28 (UNB) – Police arrested an alleged drug peddler with 180 bottles of phensedyl in Pachgharia area at Haripur upazila here on Sunday night.