Amphetamine powder from India being smuggled to other countries via Bangladesh: DNC

A transnational syndicate is allegedly using Bangladesh as a route to smuggle amphetamine powder to other countries, after smuggling it from India.

They are using Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) and international courier service to send the powder out of the country.

Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) shared the information following investigation -- a case was filed after recovery of 12.32kg amphetamine powder from the cargo village area of HSIA on September 9.

With an aim to detect such smuggling consignments and increase vigilance, DNC is now planning to deploy a dog squad at HSIA which will work in coordination with other agencies.

DNC also instructed international courier service authorities to install scanning machines.

Muhammed Ahsanul Jabber, director general of DNC, came up with the update while addressing the media at its headquarter in the capital's Segunbagicha yesterday.

Ahsanul said that they have had talks with the authority of an international courier service and they informed that they have already installed a scanner.

"We would visit their office soon to check the scanner. Other courier service authorities must install scanners or else they would be held responsible," he said.

Earlier on September 9, customs authority conducted a drive in the export cargo village and seized 12.32kg amphetamine powder specially packed in a consignment of clothes for export.

Next day, a case was filed with Airport Police Station regarding the incident.

Law enforcers so far managed to arrest eight people for their suspected involvement behind the smuggling, including the "mastermind" Abul Kalam Azad alias Bunty, a chemical businessman in the capital's Mitford.

Six other arrestees are: Rezaul Haque Bablu, Junayed Ibne Siddiqui, Nazrul Islam, Babul Mazumder, Md Mazed and Bappi.

DG of DNC Ahsanul said the syndicate has smuggled the amphetamine powder into Bangladesh from the Benapole border through their counterpart in India.

In primary interrogation, Bunty said he collected the powder with help of Indian chemical trader Habib Master, he said.

Habib's associate Rajkhan was responsible to send the powder to Bangladesh through the border and later send it to Dhaka through Bangladeshi courier services, said the DNC official quoting Bunty as saying.

After the powder reached Dhaka, Bunty sold it through his mediator Din Islam and Saiful to Junayed and Nazrul. DNC is now trying to arrest Din Islam and Saiful.

The seized 12.32kg Amphetamine powder, worth over Tk 24 crore, was supposed to go Australia via Malaysia and they booked the package through an international courier service operator.

Asked about taking action against the courier service, DG Ahsanul said they are still investigating into the incident.

He said that this is not the first time that the syndicate has smuggled amphetamine powder using Bangladesh as a route. The DNC chief, however, did not disclose how many times or when or using which platform they send these consignments out of the country.

In reply of a query, DG Ahsanul said that they have a treaty with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India and they have already informed them about the smuggling.

It should be mentioned that Bangladesh has banned import of amphetamine on February 2017 and its use for production of cold medicine after it was found that the chemical is largely used for producing yaba.

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