Five policemen were arrested with yaba tablets at a police barrack in Dhaka’s Uttara area, police said today.

The arrestees are: Constable Prashanta Mandol, Nayek Md Zahangir Alam, Constable Md Roni Mollah, Constable Md Shariful Islam of Armed Police Battalion (APBn); and Masud Ahmed Miyazi, an assistant sub-inspector of Gulshan Police Station.

According to sources at Uttara East Police Station, a team led by APBn Sub-Inspector Md Abu Zafar conducted an anti-drug drive in Dakkhin Khan area yesterday, a press release of Bangladesh Police said.

During the drive, the team members came to know that some policemen were engaged in yaba trading in Uttara’s APBn barrack building No. 1, the release said.

Based on the information, the police team arrested Prashanta, Roni and Shariful with 552 yaba pills at the barrack, said Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).  

During an interrogation, Shariful revealed that he on September 11 intercepted a motorcyclist in Gulshan area and seized yaba tablets from him. Later, ASI Miyazi and Nayek Zahangir took 350 yaba pills from Shariful, the release added.

A case was filed against the five policemen in this connection.

The arrestees were produced before a Dhaka court and placed on remand today.