The Coast Guard seized 410,000 yaba tablets and 21.5kg of heroin worth an estimated Tk42 crore in an operation in the sea area near Saint Martin’s Island on Thursday.
Coast Guard Station Saint Martin conducted the operation at around 6:00 am based on intelligence information in the Bangladesh-Myanmar international maritime boundary area, within Bangladesh’s territorial waters, according to Coast Guard officials.
During the operation, the Coast Guard team signalled a suspicious engine-powered wooden boat to stop. Sensing the presence of the Coast Guard, the suspected drug smugglers fled towards Myanmar waters after throwing three sacks into the sea.
The Coast Guard later recovered and searched the sacks, finding around 410,000 yaba tablets and 21.5kg of heroin, with an estimated combined value of Tk42 crore.
Coast Guard media officer Lt Commander Sabbir Alam Suzan confirmed the seizure.
Lt Commander Maruf Ahmed Soukhin, station commander of Coast Guard Station Saint Martin, briefed the media on the operation.
The Coast Guard said legal proceedings regarding the seized drugs were underway.
The force said it would continue patrols and operations around Saint Martin’s to maintain security and prevent drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
