Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested the mastermind of the organised robbery involving Tk1.21 crore from DL Filling Station in the airport area and detained 12 members of an extortion gang while they were collecting money at a fruit wholesale market in Kamarpara under Turag Police Station.
The information was disclosed by the director of RAB’s Legal and Media Wing at a media briefing at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar on Thursday.
Tk1.21 crore robbery took place on 9 August in front of Crown Plaza under Airport Police Station. RAB identified the masterminds, executors and accomplices through a series of operations and found that the gang had conducted reconnaissance before carrying out the pre-planned robbery and later divided the stolen money among its members.
RAB arrested Hakim, the main planner, Kawsar, who collected information, and Jalil, who carried out the robbery. A foreign-made pistol, magazine, bullets, handcuffs and a wireless set were recovered from Hakim.
Acting on information provided by Jalil, RAB later recovered Tk48 lakh of the stolen money. During interrogation, Jalil also admitted involvement in a robbery in Motijheel a few days earlier, in which foreign currency worth Tk17 lakh was stolen.
RAB said operations are continuing to arrest the remaining suspects and recover the rest of the stolen money.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, RAB detained 12 members of an alleged organised extortion gang from Kamarpara fruit wholesale market. The gang allegedly collected money from fruit traders every day and intimidated those who refused to pay by blocking their vans, rickshaws and covered vans. The 12 were caught red-handed while collecting extortion money, and Tk11,220 was recovered from them.
Over the past month, RAB also conducted operations across the country, recovering 104 firearms and arresting 60 accused in related cases. Of the recovered weapons, 65 were locally made and 39 were foreign-made.
The RAB official said the force would continue its operations to uphold the rule of law, protect human rights, ensure citizens’ security, prevent crime and bring criminals to justice.
Besides, RAB forces conducted operations in different parts of the country over the past month, recovering 104 firearms and arresting 60 accused in connection with the cases.
Of the recovered weapons, 65 were locally made firearms and 39 were foreign-made weapons.
The director of RAB’s Legal and Media Wing expressed hope that the force would continue to work more firmly in the future to uphold the rule of law, protect human rights, ensure the security of all citizens, identify and prevent crimes, and bring criminals under the law.
He also exchanged views with the journalists present in response to their various questions.
