Seven Chinese nationals and their three Bangladeshi cohorts were detained by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from Uttara in the capital on Thursday for allegedly smuggling Bangladeshi medicines which can be used to produce recreational drugs.
Following a primary interrogation, Rab claimed the group has smuggled several huge consignments of tablets like Oraplus, Loratin, and Oradin to Hong Kong under the guise of exporting garment products and accessories.
Rab said the medicines are mainly used to treat cold-related illnesses, but their principal component, ephedrine, is used in the manufacture of recreational drugs.
“We sent the sample of these tablets for lab test, in which it was revealed that ephedrine was the main ingredients of the tablets. Ephedrine is used in making drugs like Yaba,” Director of Rab’s Legal and Media wing Habibur Rahman said at a press conference at its headquarter in Uttara on Thursday.
The arrestees were Lieu Xing Hui, Rau Rui Aung, Kui Haung Tu, Jang Chau Liang, Lin Lian Fu, Lieu Xi Jin, and Yang Hi Cheng, Mushfiqur Rahman Khan Sohel, Raqibul Hassan, and Muniruzzaman.
Rab officials said they were informed about the smuggling by a courier service in Gazipur named Expo Freight Ltd.
“One Mizanur Rahman booked a consignment of 12 cartons weighing around 300kg to send to Hong Kong by air. After physical inspection, the courier doubted the presence of garment accessories in the cartons. They opened the cartons and found them stashed with tablets,” Habibur Rahman said.
The company then called Mizanur on his mobile phone, which was picked up by Hui. After asking for Mizanur, Hui said Mizanur was his business partner, but he denied the allegations of sending medicines. At one stage, the courier company informed Rab-1, asking its help.
Following the complaint, a team of Rab-1 raided a house at Sector 3 in Uttara and arrested the Chinese nationals by tracking their mobile phones, the media wing director said.
The medicines were seized from the courier company’s office in Gazipur.
“We have also found huge amount of medicines in the flat. Besides, there was medicine making equipment, six passports, and liquor in the apartment,” said Habibur Rahman.
The passports showed that the Chinese citizens have been living in Bangladesh for four years. They came to the country to work in the garment and fisheries sectors.
A case has been filed with Uttara police station.
