Syed Shemul Parvez :
Yaba, Ice and other drugs have been entering Bangladesh from Myanmar via Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar across the Naf River for long. And to keep it on run, the waterway has become one of the safe routes. The gang used to spread drugs from Sonadia Island by boat to different places and Dhaka.
After the arrest, RAB got this information from the gang leader. The main ringleader of the cycle is identified as Mohammad Jasim Uddin (32), a local salt trader of Sonadia Island.
According to RAB, Jasim used to travel to Myanmar frequently under the guise of a salt trader. His drug business has been going on for seven years. Earning huge money by drug business, he also used to invest money in salt trade. As a result, Jasim has become a big salt trader in the area.
On Wednesday (March 2), RAB arrested five members including the ring leader Jasim Uddin (32) from Gazaria in Munshiganj.
His four other accomplices are identified as Shahin Alam (26), Maqsood Mia (29), Riaz Uddin (23) and Shamsul Alam (35).
During the drive, RAB recovered 12 kg of ice, one lakh pieces of yaba and a large quantity of anesthetic injections. Two foreign pistols and foreign currency were also recovered from their possessions.
According to RAB, Jasim Uddin was one of the local salt traders of Sonadia Island. He used to run ice-yabs by boat. He had frequent trips to Myanmar for his salt business. This led to the formation of an alliance with the drug syndicate. Myanmar drug traders also used to give him yaba-ice at a lower price.
After the sale, Jasim used to send money to those drug dealers in Myanmar through hundi. Only 20-30 percent money had to be paid as advance.
Asked why the drug ring was active around Sonadia, a RAB official, who did not want to be named, said the number of fisherman in these areas is high. Seeing them, Jasim Uddin planned to bring drugs by waterways. He used to evade the eyes of the law enforcement agencies in the guise of fisherman.
According to sources, Jasim and his companions used to spend 20-25 days in the river to collect drugs. Bringing an invoice a month would bring huge amount of money. However, the total amount of consignments brought to Bangladesh so far is being investigated.
According to RAB, shipments of yaba and ice from Myanmar traders were hidden in various places on Sonadia and Maheshkhali islands. Later they were spread by waterways to Barisal, Patuakhali and Munshiganj and finally to different parts of Dhaka.
It was learnt that the gang had their own security system in trafficking drugs. There were used two protective trawlers before and behind the drug trawlers. The drug-carrying trawler could be given signal if law enforcement was found. If the signal was received, the trawler would turn to the other side.
Shahin Alam, who assisted Jasim, was responsible for transporting drugs by sea and river. Shamsu and Maqsood were responsible for monitoring from the front and near. There are several cases against the arrested in Maheshkhali police station.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin, Director of the RAB’s law and media wing, told the media that the arrested gang used to traffic drugs to different parts of the country using only waterways.
