Three Chinese nationals have been arrested in Dhaka in connection with an alleged drug manufacturing laboratory and trafficking network operating through the dark web, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) said Tuesday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Bin, 59, Yang Chunsheng, 62, and Yu Zhe 36.
At a press briefing, the DNC said a residential flat in Uttara had been converted into a chemical laboratory where narcotics were being produced in powder form. Officials said the operation was linked to a network distributing drugs both domestically and internationally.
Authorities recovered 6,300 kg of ketamine, along with chemical equipment, digital scales, packaging machines, and local and foreign currency from the site, according to the DNC.
The agency said the syndicate used courier services to distribute drugs and received orders from international buyers via the dark web.
DNC Director General Md Hasan Maruf said intelligence units had been monitoring drug trafficking through courier channels for some time. Acting on a tip-off on March 25, officers intercepted a suspicious parcel at an international courier office in Dhaka.
The package, concealed inside a Bluetooth speaker, contained 50 grams of ketamine, which was confirmed through chemical testing.
Following analysis of the parcel, investigators traced the network to the Uttara flat, where a raid was conducted the same night, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.
Officials said the flat was used as a temporary laboratory for processing, storing, and packaging narcotics intended for international trafficking.
Authorities also said the syndicate relied on the dark web to receive orders and used cryptocurrency transactions, particularly the TRON network, for payments.
The suspects reportedly used encrypted communication tools, frequently changed mobile phones and SIM cards, deleted digital records, and operated under false identities to avoid detection, officials added. Despite these measures, sustained intelligence and technological analysis led to the dismantling of the network.
