A strong syndicate of drug pushers is allegedly back in business at around 120 spots in the capital through a nexus of a number of law enforcers.
The syndicate mainly runs business in connivance with some members of law enforcement and narcotics control department.
It bribes a large sum of money that mainly comes from the mastermind and godfathers, including some political leaders, a source from police said.
The members of the syndicate store drugs in Tongi and Demra areas, from where they supply the old Dhaka area.
The drug peddlers impersonating police officers or Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members operate their business.
Deputy Director (Dhaka) of the Department of Narcotic Control (DNC) Ali Aslam Hossain admitted that the practice takes place. “We have information that some members of law enforcers are involved in this trade; they are misusing their power,” he said.
Middle and lower middle class families now commonly consume Yaba, which was largely used by high-class family children or private university students earlier, since the drug market expanded recently.
The demand for buprenorphine (injection) is also increasing, especially in old parts of the city.
Yaba is mostly popular in posh areas like Gulshan and Dhanmondi. The demand for cannabis and heroin is highest in Tegjaon and Mohammadpur areas.
Meanwhile, an intelligence department has made a list of some top drug dealers.
The list includes Liton of Kamlapur area, Al-Amin of Gendaria, Shah Alam, Parvez and Amzad of Badda, Joynal, Arif and drug queen Gulbahar of Uttara, Nasir of Banasree, Mizan, Masud and Rofiq of Mohammadpur, Liton and Prodip of Gulshan, Akter of Dhanmondi, Mohammad Ali and Rahat of Fakirapool, and drug queens Keya and Tina of Segun Bagicha area.
A number of cases have been filed against each of those people with the police stations concerned and almost all of them have been arrested several times.
However, they came out of jail on bail and resumed their drug businesses.
After the death of Mirpur-11 area phensedyl seller Bahar, his son Kalu took charge.
Liton of Agargaon BNP Bosti (slum) and his wife Rini supply heroin to different parts of the capital. Recently, Liton came out of jail and took charge of the business.
Every day a heroin market sits on Doyaganj Rail Bridge, allegedly backed by a section of law enforcers.
Drug users sit in queue there to feed their addiction until the market ends with the sunrise. Drug sales also start in Suhrawardi Uddayn as darkness falls.
Visiting the area the Dhaka Tribune found some teenagers selling small packets of cannabis. They said they get them for Tk5 per packet and they sell them for Tk30-100.
Sources in the area said Rashida control the drug syndicate of the area through three accomplices.
Several officials of different police stations under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police told the Dhaka Tribune that they arrested some law enforcers on charges of harbouring drug pushers several times.
A sub-inspector of Bangshal Police Station said during an intimate conversation, a lawman confided to him that he was operating a drugs racket in the old part of the city.
When asked ATM Habibur Rahman, director of legal and media wing of the Rab headquarters, said this is a new trend, but they are careful about that.
“If someone from the law enforcing agencies is found committing crimes, he will be punished according to the degree of his crime; no one is above law,” he asserted.
Contacted, Director General of DNC Mohammad Iqbal said they would increase vigilance, so that no one can escape the hands of law, be he a policeman or a criminal.