Elderly Man Arrested Over Cannabis Cultivation

Police in Raipur upazila of Lakshmipur district have arrested a 60-year-old man on allegations of cultivating and trading cannabis, following the recovery of illegal plants and processed narcotics from his possession. The accused, identified as Zainal Abedin, was detained during a targeted operation carried out on Tuesday (31 March).

According to law enforcement officials, the raid was launched on the basis of confidential intelligence information, which suggested that cannabis was being cultivated in a concealed manner in the Rakhalia Bazar area, near a mosque premises. Acting on the tip-off, police conducted a search operation beside a pond adjacent to the local mosque, where they discovered cannabis plants hidden among vegetable crops.

During the initial search, officers recovered 18 cannabis plants, reportedly ranging between 6 and 18 inches in height. The plants had allegedly been camouflaged as ordinary vegetable cultivation in an attempt to avoid detection.

Following further inquiry and information provided by local residents, police arrested Zainal Abedin from the same area. He was reportedly employed as a cleaner (sweeper) at the Rakhalia Bazar Jame Mosque, a position that gave him access to a small storage facility within the premises.

Subsequent searches of the storage room linked to him led to the recovery of additional narcotics, including approximately 500 grammes of cannabis and 55 small packets (locally known as puria), weighing around 100 grammes in total.

Seized Items and Evidence

Local sources indicated that the accused had been provided with a small storage room to keep cleaning equipment used for mosque maintenance. Authorities believe that he allegedly exploited the adjacent unused land to cultivate cannabis discreetly under the guise of vegetable farming.

Preliminary interrogation suggests that Zainal Abedin admitted to collecting cannabis from various sources and distributing it to local drug dealers within the area. Police officials have stated that they are currently verifying his claims and attempting to identify members of the wider network potentially involved in the distribution chain.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Hossain Mohammad Raihan Kazemi confirmed the arrest and said that legal proceedings have been initiated under the Narcotics Control Act 2018. He added that further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the suspect’s involvement in drug cultivation and trafficking activities.

Law enforcement authorities have described the recovery as part of ongoing efforts to curb the spread of narcotics in rural and semi-urban areas, where illegal cultivation is often concealed within agricultural or private land use.

Police also noted that further raids may be conducted in the surrounding areas if additional links or accomplices are identified during the investigation. The accused remains in custody as proceedings continue.