Cox’s Bazar, Sept 10 (V7N) - Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized 14 lakh yaba tablets worth an estimated Tk 42 crore from a boat in Teknaf’s Hnila border area and arrested two people allegedly involved in the trafficking.
BGB described the seizure as one of the country’s largest drug consignments. The operation was conducted around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, near the switchgate area of Hnila Border Outpost based on intelligence information.
According to the Ukhiya Battalion (64 BGB), surveillance along the border had been intensified after receiving information that a large yaba consignment had been entering Bangladesh from Myanmar over the previous two weeks. Alongside intelligence activities, BGB increased patrols and deployed drones and other technology-based surveillance systems.
BGB said that on Sept. 3 and 4, smugglers had attempted to bring two smaller consignments of yaba into Bangladesh through the Oborang area of Hnila. During operations aided by technology, BGB seized three lakh yaba tablets and arrested two people.
After reportedly failing to smuggle the drugs at night, the smugglers changed their strategy, BGB said.
On Wednesday afternoon, a group allegedly attempted to enter Bangladesh through the Hnila Border Outpost switchgate area in a boat disguised as a fishing vessel, carrying the yaba consignment.
BGB said a special patrol team, which had already taken up strategic positions, noticed the boat’s suspicious movements and signalled it to stop. When the people aboard allegedly attempted to flee, BGB personnel chased and arrested two of them.
A search of the boat initially yielded no drugs. However, BGB personnel later noticed several sacks floating lightly in the water and tied to the boat with ropes.
After recovering the sacks, they searched them and found yaba tablets packed in khaki-coloured packets.
According to BGB, the recovered sacks contained 140 blue-coloured cartons holding a total of 14 lakh yaba tablets. The estimated market value of the seized drugs was around Tk 42 crore, it said.
Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commander of the 64 BGB, said operations against drug trafficking along the border would continue.
He said BGB was working with the highest level of professionalism to prevent smuggling through technology-based surveillance and the deployment of personnel.
According to BGB data, a total of 1 crore 43 lakh yaba tablets have been seized in the operational area of the Ukhiya Battalion (64 BGB) between Jan. 1 and Sept. 9 this year. During the period, 243 people were detained on allegations of involvement in drug trafficking.
BGB also said operations would continue to prevent the illegal trafficking of fuel, edible oil, fertiliser and other goods across the border. Intelligence surveillance has been further strengthened to identify those involved in smuggling and bring them under the law.
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