Capital Police Crackdown Leads to 458 Arrests

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 458 people in the capital over the past 24 hours in a special operation targeting various offences. The operation also resulted in the filing of 64 cases and the seizure of drugs, a firearm, a sword, mobile phones, blank cheque leaves, cash and counterfeit currency.

Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, disclosed the information on Tuesday, 4 August.

According to the DMP, the arrests were made across several police divisions and specialised units as part of its ongoing efforts to curb crime in Dhaka. The largest number of arrests was recorded in the Mirpur division, where 135 people were detained. Uttara followed with 71 arrests, while 57 people were arrested in Tejgaon and 49 in Wari.

The division-wise breakdown showed that 37 people were arrested in Lalbagh, 36 in Motijheel, 34 in Ramna and 31 in Gulshan. The Uttara division accounted for 71 arrests, while six people were detained by the Detective Branch and two by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit.

During the operation, police recovered 11 kilograms and 980 grams of cannabis, 6,336 yaba tablets and 90 bottles of phensedyl. The seizures also included a one-shooter firearm and a samurai sword, along with 17 mobile phones and 30 blank cheque leaves.

Police also recovered Tk1,080 in cash and counterfeit banknotes with a stated face value of Tk2.8 million. The discovery of counterfeit currency was among the more significant seizures reported during the operation, while the recovery of blank cheque leaves and mobile phones is expected to form part of the evidence gathered in relevant cases.

The arrests and seizures come as the DMP continues regular crime-prevention drives across the capital’s police station areas. Such operations typically focus on suspects allegedly involved in drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons, financial fraud and other criminal activities.

The DMP said legal procedures were being initiated against those arrested. The detainees are expected to face further investigation and judicial proceedings according to the nature of the allegations and evidence collected during the operation.

With Dhaka being one of the country’s most densely populated urban centres, maintaining public safety remains a major challenge for law enforcement agencies. Police operations of this nature are conducted periodically to identify suspected offenders, recover illegal substances and weapons, and strengthen security in different parts of the city.

The latest drive covered multiple police divisions as well as specialised units, reflecting the DMP’s broader approach to tackling both conventional and organised forms of crime. Authorities have indicated that such anti-crime operations will continue as part of routine policing and efforts to maintain public order across the capital.