RAB arrests top drug trader in Teknaf

Staff Reporter :
The elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a top drug trader with 55,000 Yaba tablets and foreign firearms from Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar district on Thursday morning.

The accused has been identified as Zafrul Islam alias Babul Member, son of one Abdur Rashid of Teknaf upazila.

RAB’s Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin confirmed the matter at a press briefing at Dhaka’s Kawran Bazar on Thursday noon.

According to the press briefing, a team of RAB-15 conducted a drive in Katakhali area of the upazila on a tip-off, and arrested Zafrul, who was known as top arms and drug trader in his locality.

During the drive the elite force also seized 55,000 pieces of yaba, one foreign-made pistol, one locally-made pistol and ammunition from his possession.

Besides smuggling drugs, Zafrul is involved in different crimes, including extortion, gold smuggling, illegal sand extraction, cattle smuggling across the border and unauthorised hill cutting.

He had also been operating a gang of 20-25 criminals.
In 2017, the arrestee was first introduced to Nabi Hossain, a prominent fugitive Rohingya criminal.

This introduction was facilitated by Lutfur Rahman, a local drug dealer in the area.

Following his meeting with Nabi, Babul became involved with the drug syndicate.

Later, Zafrul struck an agreement with the fugitive Nabi Hossain, disguising their activities under the pretext of a shrimp trade cover.

Zafrul has amassed huge assets, including luxury flats, trucks, and land worth about Tk 50 crore in Cox’s Bazar, through the illicit means, RAB officials said.

He was accused in nine narcotics and murder cases, RAB officials added.