In a comprehensive 24-hour operation targeting illicit activities across the capital, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 465 individuals and registered 73 cases. The coordinated drive, which concluded on Wednesday, spanned multiple police divisions and targeted illegal drugs, unregistered firearms, and violent crime.

According to an official press release issued by the DMP headquarters, uniformed officers and plainclothes detectives conducted simultaneous raids throughout various neighbourhoods in Dhaka. The sweep forms part of the police force’s ongoing effort to curb drug trafficking and enhance public safety in the densely populated metropolis.

During the extensive operation, law enforcement personnel seized a significant quantity of contraband and offensive weapons. The confiscated items include one foreign-made pistol, two firearm magazines, eight rounds of live ammunition, four knives, and a steel cutter. In addition to the armaments, officers recovered substantial drug consignments, including 2,484 Yaba tablets and 2.36 kilograms of cannabis.

A division-wise breakdown of the arrests highlights the extensive scale of the operation across all key sectors of the capital:

• Mirpur Division: 114 arrests

• Motijheel Division: 75 arrests

• Tejgaon Division: 60 arrests

• Wari Division: 59 arrests

• Lalbagh Division: 55 arrests

• Uttara Division: 42 arrests

• Gulshan Division: 29 arrests

• Ramna Division: 21 arrests

• Detective Branch (DB): 10 arrests

The higher concentration of detentions in Mirpur and Motijheel reflects targeted intelligence-led raids in areas known for persistent narcotics distribution and petty crime. Meanwhile, operations led by the Detective Branch focused primarily on high-value targets and organized criminal syndicates.

Metropolitan police drives of this nature are routinely carried out to disrupt urban criminal networks, particularly those involved in the transport and distribution of synthetic drugs such as Yaba—a potent combination of methamphetamine and caffeine—alongside traditional narcotics.

Senior DMP officials confirmed that legal proceedings against all 465 detainees are currently under way. The suspects are expected to be produced before local courts following preliminary interrogations and the filing of formal charge sheets under the Arms Act and Narcotics Control Act.