Five Arrested for Blackmailing Victims via Extortionate Honeytrap Scheme

The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested five individuals for running an organised blackmailing ring. The gang allegedly lured unsuspecting individuals into compromise situations before assaulting them and filming objectionable videos to extort hefty sums of money. Tariqul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of the DB Cyber and Special Crime (South) Division, disclosed the details during a press briefing held at the DMP Media and Public Relations Office on Minto Road on Monday, 6 July.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Md Anwar Hossain (45), Badiuzzaman Shahin (45), Marium (49), Shahadat Hossain (58), and Urmi Begum (39). According to the police, the suspects belong to a highly coordinated criminal syndicate specialising in honeytrapping. A series of coordinated raids were conducted by detective teams across the capital’s Sabujbagh, Badda, and Khilgaon areas over Friday and Saturday. Investigators seized nine mobile phones, a walkie-talkie, and 4,000 Taka in cash from their possession.

The investigation was initiated following a harrowing ordeal reported by a loan disbursement officer working at a private financial institution. On 15 April, the officer visited a market in South Banasree, Rampura, on official business. Whilst there, a woman approached him under the guise of being a prospective loan applicant and managed to collect his business card.

Over the subsequent days, the woman maintained regular telephonic contact with the officer, systematically building an apparent rapport. Eventually, she requested a personal meeting in front of a hospital in Banasree. When the victim arrived at the designated venue, another woman met him and took him on a cycle-rickshaw through several winding alleys to a pre-arranged flat in the Khilgaon police station area.

Shortly after the officer entered the flat, four men stormed into the room. The men subjected the officer to physical assault before forcing him into a compromised position with one of the women to film an objectionable video. The perpetrators then forcibly confiscated his mobile phone, wallet, cash, bank ATM cards, National Identity Card, driving licence, and motorbike registration documents.

The syndicate subsequently demanded a ransom of 300,000 Taka, threatening to circulate the captured footage across social media platforms if he refused to comply. Trapped and fearing social humiliation, the victim was forced to transfer a total of 110,000 Taka from his bank account using mobile financial services (MFS). Despite the payment, the blackmailers continued to harass him for more money, prompting the victim to lodge a formal case at the Khilgaon Police Station on 22 June.

Deputy Commissioner Tariqul Islam noted that digital evidence recovered from the seized mobile phones indicates that the syndicate had successfully targeted multiple individuals using identical tactics. The five suspects have been remanded in police custody as law enforcement officials extend their investigation to determine if more people are involved in the wider extortion network.