For the first time in Bangladesh, authorities have seized a shipment of the new synthetic drug MDMB and arrested all members of the trafficking ring, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) announced on Friday.
DNC Director General Md Hasan Maruf disclosed the details at a press conference held at the agency’s headquarters.
The DNC said the use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), opioids, and dangerous synthetic drugs such as MDMB has surged in e-cigarette and vapouriser cartridges.
The agency, operating under a special Dhaka intelligence team, tracked down the traffickers to curb the spread.
The arrested suspects are Khandakar Taukirul Kabir Tamim (26), Mehedi Hasan Rakib (26), Md Masum Masfikur Rahman, also known as Sahos (27), and Md Ashraful Islam (25).
Seized items include 340ml of MDMB, CBD-infused cannabis chocolate, MDMB-use vape devices, MDMB e-liquids, and empty canisters intended for MDMB sales.
The DNC’s Dhaka intelligence team monitors offline and online marketplaces, social media platforms, and the dark web. Their surveillance revealed a new synthetic drug, MDMB, secretly distributed via vape devices.
Using this intelligence, a joint Dhaka Metro North and South team arrested Tamim from Pallabi, Mirpur, on 10 December with 20ml of MDMB. Following further surveillance and digital tracking, Mehedi Hasan Rakib was arrested in Mirpur with 10ml of MDMB.
The DNC said the network sold MDMB through secret posts in social media groups, review pages, and fake accounts. Interested buyers contacted them via inbox messages. The traffickers then used coded language, emojis for location and live tracking, and private messages to finalise the sale.
Even a few drops of MDMB can severely damage the nervous system. The synthetic drug produces rapid addiction, hallucinations, aggressive behaviour, and can trigger dangerous physical effects, including irregular heartbeat.
Police interrogations revealed the involvement of several other individuals in the trafficking ring. Cases have been filed against the arrested suspects under the Narcotics Control Act 2018.
