Smugglers Turn to Sunken Containers to Traffic Yaba Across Palongkhali Border

A drive by 64 BGB in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar has detained three people. The team found 2 lakh 20 thousand Yaba tablets, arms and ammunition with them. The drive also revealed a new trick to smuggle Yaba through the Palongkhali border using sunken containers.

BGB sources said a special team of 64 BGB ran the drive in an area near the border after getting a secret tip. The team saw suspicious movement and detained several people for a search. It then recovered a large amount of Yaba, arms and ammunition from them.

BGB said the detained men admitted in the first round of questioning that they were involved in drug smuggling across the border. Officials believe they used special containers kept under water to avoid the law enforcement agencies. They are said to have used canals, streams and other water bodies at the border for this work.

BGB officials said the recovered Yaba is worth several crore Tk in the market. They are now checking whether the gang had been using the remote border areas for a long time to supply Yaba to different parts of the country. Investigators hope the questioning will give important information about the other members of the gang.

The Yaba, arms and ammunition found in this case have been seized. Preparations are under way to file cases against the three men under the Narcotics Control Act and the Arms Act. BGB said the process to hand them over to the local police station is also going on.

BGB has increased patrols and intelligence watch to stop drug smuggling in the border area. It also asked local people to tell the law enforcement agencies about any suspicious activity.