High-value drugs are coming through parcels from the US state of California to the foreign branch of the Bangladesh Post Department. These drugs are being spread in elite areas of the capital by an organized gang of young people. Members of one such gang have been arrested with drugs worth crores of rupees.
Kush (a special type of cannabis) containing tetrahydrocannabinol and chocolates and cakes made from cannabis were seized during raids on Monday. Three people have been arrested. The Dhaka Metropolitan Office (North) of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) arrested them along with the drugs.According to DNC, a parcel of toy boxes arrived at the foreign branch of the Bangladesh Post Department from California, USA. The parcel was seized based on intelligence information. The box was later opened to reveal high-priced tetrahydrocannabinol-laced kush, cannabis chocolate and cake in the toy box. The market value of which is around Rs.
An address and mobile number were given on the parcel. But the address was wrong. So the DNC raided the mobile number. Later, raids were conducted in different areas of Savar’s Ashulia and three people were arrested. They are – Md. Russell Mia (20), Ramzan Mia (21) and Md. Imran alias Raj (20).
Inside the parcel were six packets of tetrahydrocannabinol-containing kush (made in America), weighing 300 grams per kilogram. There were also 9 cannabis chocolates and 10 cannabis cakes made in America.
Director General (DG) Mustaqeem Billah Faruqi gave this information at a press conference organized at the DNC’s head office in Segunbagicha in the capital on Tuesday (April 23). He said, on Sunday (April 21), a huge amount of drugs worth around crores of rupees, which was brought from California in toy boxes, was seized at the CED/DCL branch of the foreign post at the old post office in Paltan.
Russel Miah was first arrested by raiding Kathgara Bazar area of Ashulia with the help of technology by capturing the mobile number on the parcel. In the interrogation, he said that he will take delivery of the parcel. Later, Ramzan Miar was supposed to receive money from him. Later Ramzan was arrested from Amtala area of Ashulia.
During interrogation, Ramzan said that he was asked to receive the parcel in exchange of money. Imran aka Raj. Then Raj was arrested from Amtala. They are two friends.
Mustaqeem Billah Faruqi also said that the packets in which the drugs came from America to Bangladesh were children’s toy packets. The reason for doing this is so that no one realizes that these packets contain drugs. They have been bringing ganja cakes, kush and chocolates from abroad and selling them in different parts of the country including the capital.
In response to a question from the journalists, DG said that it does not matter whether these drugs are legal or illegal in California. This drug is illegal in Bangladesh, so sending this drug to Bangladesh is a punishable crime. Knowing that it is illegal in Bangladesh, they sent the drug in packets of children’s toys. It is not the case that an American citizen sent this parcel. Citizens of any other country residing there can also send.
Responding to a question as to how the youth were dealing drugs worth crores of rupees, the DG said that one of the arrested was a marketing officer of a garment factory. We will try to investigate the source of their money and how they sent the money there. This may involve money laundering. I will investigate whether there is anyone else behind them.