The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) on Thursday dismantled the largest online shisha trafficking network, arresting three individuals and seizing a record-breaking haul of 65.9 kg of shisha.
In a coordinated series of raids, a special team led by Md Mehedi Hasan, deputy director of DNC’s Dhaka Divisional Intelligence Office, targeted four locations in the capital.
The operation resulted in the arrest of the network’s masterminds, two brothers identified as Ahmed Sharifi, 34 and Mehdad Sharifi, 34, along with their associate Md Maksud Alam, 40.
Acting on intelligence regarding an illegal shisha trade being operated through a Facebook page, the DNC first intercepted two 1-kg parcels of shisha in Bashundhara and Malibagh areas, which were being dispatched to customers via domestic courier services.
Following the trail, officials raided the Sharifi brothers’ rented flat in Kalachandpur, Gulshan, where they were caught red-handed with 45.9 kg of shisha and 20 hookahs.
Based on confessions made during interrogation, the team later raided the residence of Md Maksud Alam in Nurer Chala, Vatara, recovering another 18 kg of shisha and 21 hookahs. In total, the DNC seized 65.9 kg of shisha, 41 hookahs, 40 kg of charcoal, and five mobile phones used for the illicit business.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Sharifi brothers had previously spent a significant amount of time in Iran, where they gained expertise in the shisha market and supply chain.
Upon their return to Bangladesh, they replicated this business model, launching one of the first Facebook pages in the country dedicated to the online sale of shisha and smoking accessories.
The network used social media to showcase products, communicate with customers, and manage orders.
Once an order was confirmed, the illicit goods were delivered nationwide via domestic courier services. To evade detection, the suspects accepted payments through Mobile Financial Services (MFS) accounts registered under various names to hide the identities of the beneficiaries.
The DNC has successfully recovered a vast client database from the seized digital devices. This database contains contact information, order details, and transaction histories for numerous buyers across Dhaka and other districts.
Authorities are currently performing digital forensic analysis to identify regular customers, distributors, and other members of the network.
Initial investigations also suggest the group may have been involved in other immoral activities through social media. The DNC stated that this successful operation is a significant milestone in fulfilling the government’s “zero-tolerance” policy against drugs.
As drug traffickers increasingly adopt modern technologies including e-commerce, courier services, and MFS, the DNC is intensifying its cyber surveillance, financial intelligence, and inter-agency coordination to combat these evolving threats.
