The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) arrested a Rohingya national in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area on Saturday as he was attempting to smuggle yaba tablets hidden inside packets of dried chillies.
The arrestee, identified as Akbar, was detained at around 2:30pm near the Mayor Hanif Flyover based on a tip-off. He was aboard a passenger bus and was found carrying packets of dried red chillies, which initially aroused suspicion.
Upon inspection, DNC officers discovered 38 yaba tablets concealed inside the packets. At the time of filing this report, officials are checking other chilli packets to determine if more drugs were hidden.
Mohammad Khorshed Alam, deputy director of the DNC’s Dhaka divisional intelligence office, said Akbar is a resident of the Leda Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar. Intelligence reports suggest he had previously trafficked caba to Dhaka using the same method.
Even during the initial interrogation, Akbar reportedly admitted to bringing yaba to the capital before. A case has been filed in connection with the incident, and further investigation is underway.
Yaba is a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and is used as a cheap synthetic drug across Bangladesh.