During its overnight special drive against chemical-tainted fruits, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) destroyed some 3,000 maunds of mango, 200 maunds of blackberry and 15 lakh pieces of litchi laced with toxic chemicals.During the drive from 8pm on Wednesday to 8am on Thursday, three people were also sentenced to different jail terms and 12 others fined Tk 85,000.The DMP set up check posts at eight entry points-Postagola Bridge point, Signboard on Dhaka-Chittagong Road, Sultana Kamal Bridge of Demra, Babu Bazar Bridge, Waizghat of Sadarghat, in front of Parbata Cinema Hall of Gabtali, near Tongi Bridge of Abdullapur and Dhaur Bridge of Mirpur Embankment-on Wednesday night to check all vehicles carrying fruits, especially mangoes and litchis.Briefing reporters at the DMP media centre on Thursday, Joint Commissioner (Detective Branch) Monirul Islam said some 1,925 trucks entered the city through the eight check posts during the drive.Of them, 208 trucks were carrying various fruits, including mango, blackberry, litchi, jackfruit, date, banana, pineapple, Malta and apple, he said.After testing the fruits, 1.49-31 PPM formalin was found in litchi, 2.48-125 PPM in mango and 33-35PPM in blackberry, Monirul said.He said, 3,000 maunds of mango, 200 maunds of blackberry and 15 lakh pieces of litchi were destroyed after the detection of formalin.The DB joint commissioner said two people were sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment and one was jailed for 15 days while 12 others were fined Tk 85,000 on charge of mixing chemicals in fruits.Monirul called upon all, including those who mix formalin or chemicals in fruits and the sellers, to refrain from treating the fruits with harmful substances.City dwellers were also requested to dial 01713398313 or 01770540804 to give information about chemical-tainted fruits.
