Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized 460,000 yaba tablets and detained four suspected drug traffickers during two separate operations in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. The operations, conducted at a highway checkpoint and along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border, also resulted in the seizure of a double-cabin pickup truck and a mobile phone allegedly used in drug trafficking.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the Ukhiya Battalion (64 BGB), confirmed the seizures on Tuesday morning (20 October).
The four detainees were identified as Russell, 23, son of the late Kader of Katakhali and a Forcibly Displaced Myanmar National (FDMN) residing in Block B-1 of Camp 4; Khairul Amin, 24, son of the late Siddique; Shakil, 22, son of Bokkor Ahmed of Katakhali; and Md Saiful Islam, 31, son of Nurul Islam.
According to the BGB commander, the first operation took place on Monday night when border guards stationed at the Whykong checkpoint became suspicious of a double-cabin pickup truck travelling from Teknaf towards Chattogram.
The vehicle was stopped for inspection, and BGB personnel conducted a search of its interior. During the inspection, officers discovered 120,000 yaba tablets concealed beneath the rear seat cover using a specially arranged hiding compartment.
Md Saiful Islam, who was travelling in the vehicle, was detained in connection with the discovery. The pickup truck and a mobile phone were also confiscated as part of the operation.
The concealment method indicated an apparent attempt to transport the tablets without attracting attention during routine security checks. The vehicle was travelling towards Chattogram, although authorities did not specify the intended final destination of the consignment.
In a separate operation that same night, a special patrol team from the Palongkhali Border Outpost (BOP) intercepted three individuals suspected of transporting narcotics across the Bangladesh–Myanmar border.
The incident occurred in the Ulubunia Majherkathi area, where BGB personnel observed three people carrying bundles while entering Bangladesh from Myanmar along an embankment.
Their movements raised suspicions among the patrolling officers, who challenged the individuals and instructed them to stop.
Instead of complying, the three attempted to flee. BGB personnel immediately pursued them and managed to detain all three suspects.
A subsequent search of the bundles revealed 34 cartons containing blue yaba tablets wrapped in khaki-coloured packaging. The cartons held a combined total of 340,000 tablets, making this the larger of the two seizures.
Together, the two operations resulted in the recovery of 460,000 yaba tablets, with 120,000 discovered at the Whykong checkpoint and another 340,000 intercepted near the international border.
The incidents illustrate two distinct methods associated with suspected narcotics trafficking in the region. In the first case, tablets were concealed inside a vehicle travelling along a domestic transport route. In the second, a substantial quantity was allegedly carried directly across the border in bundles.
Teknaf occupies a strategically sensitive position along Bangladesh’s south-eastern frontier with Myanmar. Its geographical location has made border surveillance particularly important in efforts to prevent the movement of illegal narcotics into Bangladesh.
Yaba, a stimulant tablet commonly containing methamphetamine and caffeine, has long been a concern for law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh. The country’s proximity to drug-producing areas in the wider region presents persistent challenges for border security and narcotics enforcement.
The latest seizures demonstrate the significance of both checkpoint inspections and border patrols in intercepting suspected drug consignments. While the Whykong operation involved the inspection of a vehicle already travelling towards Chattogram, the Palongkhali operation targeted individuals allegedly entering Bangladesh directly from Myanmar.
Both incidents were reported by the commanding officer of the Ukhiya Battalion, which conducted the operations through its deployed personnel.
The authorities have confirmed the detention of four individuals and the recovery of the narcotics and associated items. However, the initial report did not provide details of any formal charges, subsequent legal proceedings or the estimated market value of the seized tablets.
The recovery of such a substantial quantity of yaba in a single night underscores the continuing challenges facing border security personnel in Teknaf, where preventing cross-border smuggling remains a significant law enforcement priority.
