6 held with meth, yaba in Uttara
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) claimed to have arrested six drug peddlers with crystal meth, also known as ice, from Dhaka's Uttara area yesterday.
Rab's Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin said they increased surveillance and initiated an investigation after learning from sources that a gang were trying to set up a "meth lab" to make adulterated ice and other drugs.
A team of Rab-3 conducted a drive from Thursday evening till dawn yesterday in Uttara and detained six drug peddlers including the alleged kingpin Md Tawfiq Hossain (35).
The other arrestees are Md Jamirul Chowdhury (37), Md Arafat Abedin (35), Md Rakib Basar Khan (30), Md Saiful Islam (28), and Md Khaled Iqbal (35), said Al Moin.
Rab also seized ice, yaba tablets, foreign alcohol, marijuana, 13 foreign weapons, replica weapons and large quantities of laboratory equipment from their possession, he said.
"The racket has been involved in yaba trading for nearly 10 years. They are now turning their focus on methamphetamine, ice and 'cocktail drug' which have high demand among youths of rich families," said the Rab official.
The meth lab was originally run with the help of arrested Arafat Abedin and some of his associates, said Rab in a press release.
The arrested accused are part of an organised syndicate.
Tawfiq is the founder and coordinator of the business and there are 10-15 more people involved, according to Rab.
The Rab official said Towfiq is the kingpin of the racket while Zubain and Khaled have been financing it. They have been running a yaba peddling ring for over 10 years and have started meth trading around two years ago.
According to Rab, Zubain came to the country after completing BBA from a private university in London.
Towfiq and Khaled completed their BBA and MBA from private universities. Rudra, an HSC dropout, used to run the lab as a chemist.
During interrogation, they provided specific information about some more syndicates and the people involved, said the Rab official.
Rab will continue its operation to find other drug peddlers, added the press release.
Legal action is being taken against the arrestees, said Al Moin.
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