Yaba trade cuts across professions

The seizure of yaba pills by law enforcement agencies has dominated headlines in recent times. More concerning is that the individuals found involved in the illicit trade include a lawyer, a jailer, a cricketer, police and narcotics officials and many students, among others.

This time a physician, along with his two cohorts, was apprehended for the same offence.

The incident took place at Chandina upazila in Dhaka-Chittagong highway on Friday night. The arrestee, Mostofa Kamal Kazol, 38, who claimed to be a physician, was caught while carrying 1,200 yaba pills from Teknaf.

Mostafa was enrolled in the 24th BCS (Health) and now studying at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) as a post-graduate student, said Mohammad Ali Mahmud, officer-in-charge of Chandina Police Station.

According to police, Mostafa had graduated from Rajshahi Medical College in 2005 and was currently working as a physician at a private clinic in the capital's Mohammadpur area.

The other arrestees are-- Moin Uddin, 42, of Kalkini upazila in Madaripur, who is Mostafa's friend and a contractor by profession, and Hashu Miah, 39, from Mohammadpur's Shekhertek area in Dhaka, who was the driver of the private car.

A case was filed under Narcotics Control Act with the police station. A court sent them to jail until the next hearing set for a later date.

Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam Chowdhury said a patrol team of police stopped the private car on the highway at night on suspicion.

“After searching the vehicle, we found 400 yaba pieces from each of the three. The car was also seized,” the SI said adding that the trio admitted to carrying the pills for trading them later.

According to police, Moin had been involved with the business for a long time.

Recently, people from many different professions and walks of life were found involved in the yaba trade.

On April 22, a 23-year-old female cricketer, also a drop-out of Jagannath University, was held with 14,000 yaba pills from Shah Amanat Bridge in Chittagong.

The very next day, Chandina Police arrested a DB official of Rangamati with 4,000 yaba pills from Katherpul area of Dhaka- Chittagong highway in Chandina.

On Friday, two siblings, including one who used to work in Saudi Arabia, were arrested with 13 lakh yaba pills from their flat in the port city's Halishahar area. It is considered to be the biggest ever haul of yaba pills seized by the Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

On the same day in Dhaka, two recent graduates were held with 60,000 yaba pills. They admitted their involvement in the illicit trade.

A day before, a deputy jailer of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj was suspended for trying to sell yaba tablets.