Yaba peddling goes digital

Sohel Hossain*, a 48-year-old employee at a private company, has been consuming yaba for the past six years.

Initially, he would procure the drugs from the Kawran Bazar slum, a notorious drug hotspot in Dhaka. However, over the last two months, Sohel has been unable to obtain the pills through usual means.

"Now, I have to contact the narcotics trader over the phone, and they deliver the pills to a specified address. However, this convenience comes at a cost, as the dealers charge an additional Tk 50 per pill for online delivery, and require a minimum order of three pills," Sohel explained.

While the standard price of a yaba pill remains at Tk 150, online delivery commands a premium, resulting in each pill costing Tk 200.

This shift to online transactions marks a new trend in the yaba trade in Dhaka, with traders ceasing in-person sales in favour of digital transactions.

Recently, traders have shifted to online platforms. They have created small clusters in the encrypted apps and sell the pills to regular customers. We have also improved our technological capacity so that no one can evade arrest.

— Mehedi Hasan Assistant Director Department of Narcotics Control

This newspaper visited five of the capital's narcotics hotspots -- Mohammadpur Geneva Camp, Kawran Bazar, Jhilpar Slum at Mirpur, Kallyanpur Pora Bosti, and Bauniabad of Pallabi -- over the last week.

Yaba was found on sale only at Geneva camp in Mohammadpur.

Around 05:10pm last Tuesday, this correspondent was roaming the bazar in the Geneva camp area. Suddenly, two youths asked, "Are you looking for someone?"

When the correspondent replied, "No", the youth then asked, "Do you need Baba (yaba)?"

During an inquiry, the correspondent learned that yaba was being sold in at least six points in the camp for Tk 200 per piece. The traders mainly sell the pills to known faces. But for unknown faces, they propose a deal after interviewing the buyers."

A law enforcement agency source in the capital's Mohammadpur area said, "Twelve gangs sell narcotics in Mohammadpur Geneva Camps now. Out of them, only six gangs are selling yaba physically at the camp, while others have shifted to online platforms."

"Of the gangs, -- Picchi Raja Group, Chua Selim, and Monu Group -- are selling yaba physically at the camp. Each of these gangs comprise 100 members -- male, female, and child," the source told The Daily Star requesting anonymity.

For online transactions, customers must order first, then the delivery is done at a designated spot, according to sources.

Yaba from Mohammadpur Geneva camp is also being traded to other areas in Dhaka. For instance, Kallyanpur Pora Bosti slum gets their yaba supply from Geneva camp.

A source, requesting anonymity, told this newspaper, "Kata Sumon runs the drug business in the slum. But there is no supply of yaba now. If anyone orders online, it is collected from Mohammadpur Geneva camp and then delivered."

"For this reason, the prices are a little high at the spot. Here it is sold for Tk 250 per pill," the source added.

According to sources, yaba is sold in Teknaf for Tk 30-Tk 35 now, but by the time it reaches Dhaka, the cost rises to Tk 60-Tk 70.

At spots like Geneva camp, the yaba is then sold for Tk 200 per piece.

Mehedi Hasan, assistant director (north) of the Department of Narcotics Control, shared that the on-spot yaba trade declined due to continuous drives.

Recently, traders have shifted to online platforms. They have created small clusters in the encrypted apps and sell the pills to regular customers, he said.

Mehedi, however, said, "We have also improved our technological capacity so that no one can evade arrest."

As on-spot yaba sales have declined, traders have shifted to selling marijuana. Sachets of marijuana are being sold openly by traders, at Tk 50-80 per sachet.

Kh Mahid Uddin, additional commissioner (crime and operation) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said that they have increased vigilance and drives to arrest narcotics traders are underway.

"We are also changing our techniques and tactics along with the narcotics trader. There is no scope to avoid the arrest,' he told The Daily Star.

(Interviewees' identities have been protected with pseudonyms)