14 lakh Yaba tablets recovered in Cox’s Bazar

DB police in a special drive recovered 14 lakh contraband yaba tablets worth about Taka 42 crore and arrested two alleged drug traffickers from a fishing boat near Chaufaldandi Bridge area of the district this afternoon.

The arrested persons were identified as Faroq Ahmed and Md Babu, both hailed from Nuniyachhara area of Cox’s Bazar Sadar upazila of the district.

Cox’s Bazar Superintendent of Police (SP), Hasanuzzaman led the drive. Police arrested the two drug traffickers on charges of being involved in yaba smuggling, police sources said.

SP Hasanuzzaman said the yaba tablets were found in 140 packets inside seven sacks specially kept on the boat. The market value of the recovered yaba is around Taka 42 crore, he added.

Cox’s Bazar DB Police OC Mohammad Ali said the large consignment of yaba tablets was brought from Myanmar.

Sources said the smuggled consignment was planned to be unloaded at Nuniachhara Jetty No. 6 in Cox’s Bazar Sadar via Ukhia coast. But the boat with the shipment of yaba did not reach the jetty No. 6 and it went towards the Chaufaldandi coast.

A team of DB police chased the boat and managed to intercept it near Chaufaldandi Bridge.