Detective Branch (DB) of Police has detained 61 suspected members of dope gangs from different areas in Dhaka.
Members of such gangs rob people after making them unconscious using sedatives or rubbing ointment forcefully into their targets’ eyes. Such gangs usually become active before Eid.
Additional Commissioner of DB Devdas Bhattacharya briefed the media about the arrests on Sunday afternoon.
He said: “Acting on a tip-off, several teams of DB conducted drives in different areas of Dhaka on Saturday. They detained 32 members of dope gangs from Kamlapur, Shyamoli, Jurain, and New Market.”
They also detained 29 hijackers from Gulistan, New Market, and Shahbag areas.
“The detainees become active during the Eid season. They snatch money and other valuables from people,” he said adding that DB will continue such drives during Ramadan and Eid.
Employing new tactics
Dope gangs are not new in Bangladesh. They become active during the month of Ramadan and use new tactics to rob people.
The members of such gangs add sleeping pills to bottled juice, water, and the food items sold on the streets near bus stands, as commuters often prefer to buy iftar from such stalls right before getting on a bus.
The additional commissioner said: “Dope gangs are using new tricks ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“They are teaming up with street different vendors near bus stands, where people buy edibles or drinks before getting on a bus in case they are stuck in traffic during iftar.”