Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained a suspected drug trafficker and seized 60,000 Yaba pills during a raid at the Ukhia border in Cox’s Bazar district on Monday.
The detainee, Rashedul, 25, is a resident of Balukhali Nolbunia village in Ukhia.
According to BGB, a special patrol team from the Balukhali Border Outpost (BOP) under the Ukhia Battalion (64 BGB) conducted the operation based on intelligence in the South Nolbonia area, about 500 yards north of border pillar BRM-19.
Around 4:40pm, the patrol spotted Rashedul approaching from the Myanmar border disguised as a fisherman. He attempted to flee after being challenged but was caught following a chase.
BGB recovered 60,000 Yaba tablets from six blue airtight cartons hidden in khaki-coloured packets tied around his waist and concealed inside a fish basket.
During initial interrogation, Rashedul admitted he had collected the Yaba from the Myanmar border for sale in Bangladesh and had long been involved in smuggling drugs concealed in fishing nets and baskets, BGB said.
Lt Col Md Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the Ukhia Battalion, said BGB has intensified intelligence surveillance to identify and arrest members of drug trafficking syndicates.
He added that legal proceedings against the detainee are underway.
