Drug Trade in Barishal Division: Masterminds untraceable
Investigation into drug cases in Barishal have so far failed to yield any information regarding the masterminds of narcotics trade and smuggling.
The law enforcers often arrest the carriers with smuggled drugs, but thanks to loopholes in investigation, the masterminds have always remained out of reach.
A total of 2,293 narcotics cases were filed between July 22 last year and September 23 this year, according to the office of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Barishal Range.
2,293 narcotics cases were filed from July 22, 2022 to Sept 23 this year
Of those, investigators already submitted charge sheets in 1,829 cases. However, analysing the charge sheet reports, The Daily Star found that all the accused mentioned in the charge-sheets are drug carriers, and none of them ever mentioned any names of the masterminds behind the smuggling racket.
Similarly, the Department of Narcotics Control has filed around 108 narcotics cases and arrested around 152 carriers from August 5, 2021 to February 28 this year. However, the DNC investigations were also unsuccessful at tracing the masterminds.
2,293 narcotics cases were filed from July 22, 2022 to Sept 23 this year
On January 19 last year, Minjar Hossain, a drug trader, was arrested by the DNC with 5,000 yaba pills from the Kazipara area of Barishal.
Investigation revealed that Minjar had been responsible for distributing these illicit consignments to an individual named Saiful Islam in Bakerganj upazila, who was also subsequently arrested.
Four months later, the DNC on May 14 filed a charge-sheet against the two, who are now out on bail.
In a separate incident, DNC arrested a narcotic trader -- Rafiqul Islam-- with 10,000 yaba pills on the way to Patuakhali from Barishal on January 9 this year, and submitted a charge-sheet against him on March 14.
All accused mentioned are drug carriers
However, in both the cases, the DNC's investigation failed to detect or identify from whom Minjar and Rafiqul had collected the yaba pills.
DNC inspector Md Ishtiaq Hossain, who submitted the charge-sheet against Rafiqul, said they had interrogated Rafiqul for two days to learn about the masterminds, but the accused did not disclose anything.
Police and DNC officials said narcotics cases are very sensitive.
"We cannot interrogate the accused properly. They are mostly addicts who often fall ill at the slightest questioning," said a police official requesting anonymity.
"Unless a narco carrier reveals the mastermind's name in a confessional statement to court, we cannot arrest or interrogate anyone. That is why, the charge-sheets are limited to showing the carriers as accused," he added.
Bijoy Krishan Mallick, additional superintendent of police in Patuakhali (Kalapara Circle), said the carriers would rather die than say a single word about the network.
"Almost all of them came up with the same version -- an unidentified person handed over the package to them and they did not know what was inside," said the officer.
Rezwan Ahmed, additional superintendent of police of the Detective Branch in Barishal district, said they are now trying to confiscate the carriers' wealth to make them talk about the masterminds of the network.
The smugglers also use women as carriers to escape the law enforcers' eyes.
On August 13 this year, police arrested Halima Begum and two others with 8,926 yaba pills from Barishal's Gaurnadi. Two weeks later on August 29, police arrested another carrier named Hira Majhi with 303 yaba pills and 10 bottles of phensedyl.
Afzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gaurnadi Police Station, said they were not able to find out the masterminds or the source of these narcotics. "We are preparing to submit the charge-sheet with the carrier's details only," he added.
Mohammad Shahidullah, additional DIG (crime and ops) of police (Barishal Range), said they have a deadline of only 52 days to submit charge-sheets, which is why the investigations fail to delve deep to identify the godfathers of drugs trade.
Enayet Hossain, DNC assistant director, said the masterminds remain out of reach as they use cut-of tactics, leaving one part of the syndicate with no knowledge about the other.
The carriers get huge financial benefits for carrying the drugs consignments from one place to another, which is a major reason why they do not question the suppliers about their identities.
Jamil Hasan, DIG of Barishal Range police, said, "We are doing our best to detect those behind the syndicate and take lawful actions against them."
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