Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has recovered a total of 5,60,012 Yaba tablets, valued around Tk16.80 crore, during three separate anti-narcotics operations in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas of Cox’s Bazar.
Lt Col Md Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of Ukhiya Battalion (64 BGB), confirmed the recovery on Friday, adding that one drug trafficker was detained during the operations.
The estimated market value of the seized contraband stands at Tk16,80,03,600, BGB said.
According to BGB, acting on a tip-off, a special patrol team from Balukhali Border Outpost (BOP) conducted a raid near the Myanmar border on Thursday evening.
During the operation, a suspicious individual coming from the Myanmar side was challenged and searched.
Authorities recovered 60,000 Yaba tablets from a cloth bundle in his possession.
The detainee was identified as Md Amin, 20. During primary interrogation, he confessed to carrying the drug from the Myanmar border to sell.
A few hours later, another patrol team from Palongkhali BOP carried out a raid in the Guijarkhal area. Sensing the presence of BGB personnel, two suspected smugglers fled towards Myanmar upon.
Upon searching the two bags they left behind, 3 lakh Yaba tablets were recovered.
In a separate operation around midnight on Friday, a team from Unchiprang BOP in Teknaf upazila recovered an additional 2,00,012 Yaba tablets.
BGB said three suspects were detected using thermal imaging devices but ignored warnings and fled across the border, leaving behind three bundles containing the drugs.
Lt Col Zahirul Islam said surveillance has been intensified along the border to trace and apprehend those involved in the smuggling attempts.
