The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Tuesday claimed to have recovered 320,000 yaba pills from Cox’s Bazar’s, which were smuggled in from Myanmar.
Lt Col Ali Haider Azad Ahmed, chief of Cox's Bazar-based 34th BGB Battalion, said acting on a tip-off a team from Reju Amtoli border outpost (BOP) raided the Goldebar hills area in Ukhiya upazila at midnight on Monday.
The smugglers opened fire on the BGB sensing their presence,forcing the border guards to retaliate, he said before adding that the smugglers left a bag behind and escaped into the jungle nearby.
Yaba is usually smuggled into Bangladesh through 45 routes of Cox’s Bazar district, bordering Myanmar's Rakhine State, according to intelligence agencies.
Myanmar is infamous for producing vast quantities of yaba, opium and cannabis.
Drug trafficking has emerged as a problem in Rakhine State and an illicit drug trade has flourished in the region due to its mountainous land and porous borders.