Police Constable Held With Yaba

A police constable was detained by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) while allegedly transporting 20,000 yaba tablets from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka.

The suspect, identified as Md Sajib Bepari, 23, was intercepted on Friday evening at the Morichya joint checkpoint in Khuniapalong Union under Ukhiya upazila. According to officials, he was travelling from Ukhiya towards Cox’s Bazar town in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw when BGB personnel stopped the vehicle for a routine search.

During the inspection, members of BGB reportedly recovered 20,000 yaba tablets concealed inside Sajib’s bag using what authorities described as a “special hiding method”. The contraband was seized immediately, and the suspect was taken into custody.

Sajib Bepari is a resident of the Nanna area in Dhamrai upazila, Dhaka district. He has been serving with the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, since November 2023. Officials said he had left his workplace on approved leave on Friday and was reportedly heading home.

According to BGB sources, during preliminary questioning Sajib admitted that he had collected the yaba tablets from the Balukhali refugee camp area in Ukhiya. He was later handed over, along with the recovered narcotics, to Ramu Police Station on the same night.

Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, commanding officer of Ramu-30 BGB, said Sajib had allegedly agreed to transport the yaba tablets to Dhaka in exchange for Tk 200,000.

“He stated during initial interrogation that he became involved in drug trafficking due to financial temptation. Efforts are ongoing to identify the actual owners of the yaba consignment,” the BGB officer said.

Police Inspector (Investigation) Md Farid of Ramu Police Station said a case had been filed under the Narcotics Control Act. Sajib was formally shown arrested in the case and sent to court on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Riaz Uddin Ahmed, commanding officer of Ukhiya-8 APBn, said Sajib was on leave at the time of the incident.

“He was officially on leave. We are investigating how he became involved in narcotics trafficking. Departmental action will also be taken against him,” he said.

The incident has drawn attention because the accused is an active law enforcement member posted in a narcotics-sensitive area near the Rohingya camps, where law enforcement agencies have long reported yaba smuggling activities.