The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detained four drug dealers from the airport area in the capital. Acting on a tip-off, a RAB special operation team arrested them late at night on Thursday. Twenty thousand yaba pills were found in their possession. The detainees are Shahriar Parvez, Jahangir, Netal Pal and Habib. Yabas were found tied to Shahriar’s waist with the belt. Major Mohammed Rakibuzzaman, company commander of RAB-1, yesterday told media that Shahriar had carried those illegal substances from Cox’s Bazaar to Dhaka.

“Four drug traders, including Shahriar, were arrested while they were trying to supply the yabas in the airport area. Shahriar claimed he was the general manager of Radisson Blue Hotel. However, it was later found that he was giving a false statement about his identity,” the Elite Force commander said.

“During the primary interrogation, Shahriar said he had been supplying the yaba pills and several other drugs for many years in Dhaka. During the flight, he used to hide the yaba pills in his body. He used to bring at least 20,000–25,000 yaba pills during each shipment. After bringing the yabas from Cox’s Bazar, he delivered them to the drug dealers in the airport area. At times, he supplied them to hotels,” said Rakibuzzaman.

“He said Jahangir would collect the yabas from Shahriar and supply them to the drug dealers at different places in Dhaka. Habib worked as Jahangir’s assistant. Another accused, Nepal Pal, a gold trader, is also involved in supplying yabas. On Thursday night, Nepal Pal had come to the airport to collect the yabas from Shahariar. A case has been filed against them with the Airport Police Station under the anti-narcotics act,”