Police arrested five suspected drug traders, including a former leader of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), during separate anti-drug operations in Barguna on Saturday night.
The arrestees have been identified as Arafat Rahman alias Abhi, 28, former member secretary of Patharghata Upazila Chhatra Dal; Mamun, 30; Md Yasin Mridha, 28; Md Abu Saleh Munshi, 28; and Danial Khan alias Russell Khan, 48.
In Patharghata, a police team conducted a raid at the residence of Arafat Rahman Abhi around 10:15pm. Police recovered 510 Yaba tablets and Tk10,000 in cash, which believed to be proceeds from drug sales, and took him into custody.
In Betagi, acting on a tip-off, police arrested Mamun from the Betagi Government College Road area with 100 Yaba tablets.
Meanwhile, in Bamna upazila, police conducted a drive in the Douatala area. During the operation, Yasin and Saleh Munshi were arrested with 42 Yaba tablets, while Russell was apprehended with eight tablets at the entrance of his residence.
Police confirmed that Saleh Munshi is a resident of Guliakhali village in Mathbaria upazila of Pirojpur district.
Md Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Patharghata Police Station, Md Harun-Or-Rashid Hawlader, OC of Betagi Police Station, and Md Omar Faruq, OC of Bamna Police Station, confirmed the details of the operations.
The OCs said separate cases have been filed against the five individuals under the Narcotics Control Act at the respective police stations.
The suspects are scheduled to be sent to jail through the court on Monday.
