Teknaf, July 2 (V7N) – Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has arrested a man with 120,000 yaba tablets during a smuggling attempt from Myanmar via the Naf River in Cox’s Bazar, officials said on Wednesday.
The estimated market value of the seized contraband is around Tk 3 crore 60 lakh.
The arrest was made around 12:30 am near the Naf River, approximately 900 metres south of Shah Porir Dwip jetty ghat in Teknaf upazila, following a special operation conducted by Teknaf Battalion (BGB-2).
The arrested individual was identified as Jagir Hossain (28) of Jaliapara area under Sabrang union in Teknaf.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, commanding officer of BGB-2, confirmed the incident.
He said intelligence inputs suggested that a large consignment of yaba was being smuggled from Myanmar into Bangladesh through the Shah Porir Dwip border point via the Naf River.
Based on the information, BGB launched a targeted operation in the Shah Porir Dwip Border Outpost area. During surveillance, suspicious movement of a manually operated boat was detected on the Myanmar side of the river.
A BGB naval patrol team then took strategic positions. Around 12:30 am, under moonlight, personnel observed a man swimming across the river carrying two sacks.
He was immediately intercepted and detained.
A search of the sacks led to the recovery of 120,000 yaba tablets.
During preliminary interrogation, the detainee reportedly confessed that he had entered the river after boarding a suspected boat on the Myanmar side and attempted to cross into Bangladesh while carrying the drug consignment.
Lt Col Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan said BGB remains vigilant in protecting the border and combating drug trafficking and cross-border crimes through surveillance, intelligence operations, regular land and river patrols, and special operations.
He added that efforts to curb narcotics and border crimes will continue.
The detainee and seized yaba were handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station for further legal action.
END/MSI/SMA/
