The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested two individuals in separate raids in Cox's Bazar over illegal arms trading under the guise of hotel business.
RAB-15 conducted operations in the Dhawnkhali area in Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila and at Marine Eco Resort in the Kalatali area of the city on Tuesday night.
During the operation, a foreign-made pistol, a modified rifle and ammunition were recovered from them, supposedly to be sold to Rohingya groups active within camps in Cox's Bazar.
At a press briefing held at the RAB-15 office in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday afternoon, Assistant Superintendent of Police Jamilul Haque said that acting on a tip-off, a RAB arrested a young man named Humayun Kabir, 24.
A pistol and ammunition were recovered from him. Based on his confession, a RAB team later raided Marine Eco Resort, where they arrested the hotel's owner, Kazi Zafar Sadeq Raju, 40. The modified rifle was recovered from Raju's room in the hotel.
He said the arrested individuals are involved in both domestic and international arms trade and are members of a syndicate operating primarily in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Khagrachhari.
They bring arms from the Khagrachhari border and supply them to various criminal groups across the country. During primary interrogation, the two admitted that the weapons were brought to be sold to different groups in Rohingya camps.
Raju, who is from a wealthy family in the Baharchhara area of Cox's Bazar, is involved in arms and yaba trading under the guise of hotel business.
He has previously been arrested multiple times by RAB and the police for arms and yaba possession.
Jamilul Haque also said RAB's operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of this arms trading syndicate.
