UNB, Dhaka :Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested six members of a drug smuggler gang and recovered 2,15,314 pieces of contraband Yaba tablets and Tk 18 lakh cash from Chittagong and Gazipur early Friday.The elite force members also recovered one foreign made pistol, one magazine, three bullets, one private car, one motorcycle, and other valuables from their possessions.The arrested are Zahidul Islam alias Alo, 35, ring leader of the gang, his driver Jashim Uddin Rana, 35, Abdul Malek Rasel, 27, Md Shahed, 24, and Md Javed, 25, and Md Jakir, 26.Briefing reporters at the RAB Headquarters on Friday afternoon, Director (Legal and Media Wing) Commander Mufti Mahmud said intelligence members of RAB-7 of Chittagong had information that gang leader Zahidul was involved in supplying contraband Yaba tablets to various places in the country after importing those illegally from Myanmar and China.Based on the secret information, a special team of RAB-7 conducted a raid at Rampur Amin Contractor area in Chittagong city around 12:30 am and arrested Zahidul along with his driver Jasim, Commander Mufti said.The elite force recovered one pistol along with one magazine, 20,000 pieces of Yaba tablets, three rounds of bullets and one private car from their possessions, he added.Following information given by Zahidul, the RAB team conducted another series of raids at several rented houses of Zahidul in the port city and arrested the four other members of the drug smuggling gang along with 1,90,314 pices of Yaba tablets, one motorcycle, around Tk 19 lakh cash and other valuable.Meanwhile, another team of the RAB-7 conducted a drive at Tempo Stand in Gazipur and recovered 5,000 more Yaba tablets around 5: 00am.Commander Mufti said arrested Zahidul used to import Yaba tablets from Myanmar and China, hiding those inside motor parts consignments using sea routs.
