The huge quantity of Crystal Meth an illicit drug have been seized mainly from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar and across the country in recent times. Value of the seized drug is about Tk. 100 crore.
Crystal Meth is the common name for crystal methamphetamine, a strong and highly addictive drug that affects the central nervous system. There is no legal use for it.
The law enforcement agencies have traced that drug dealers smuggle the crystal methamphetamine, or ice- a highly addictive narcotic-into Bangladesh from Myanmar-along the same land and maritime routes they use for Yaba trafficking.
So far, the market of crystal meth is spread across Dhaka and Chattogram, they said.
Border Guard Bangladesh on Sunday recovered 1.353kg of Crystal Meth with a street value of about Tk 7 crore from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.
Lt Col Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, commanding officer of BGB 2 Battalion said the drugs were recovered near the Naf River in Jaliardia area. The team saw two suspects boarding a boat after crossing the zero line.
Sensing the presence of BGB members, the suspects jumped into the water from the boat and fled to Myanmar. The meth was recovered from the boat, he added.
BGB have seized drugs worth nearly Tk 11.46 crore in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf upazila on 12 November last year.
Based on a tip-off, a patrol team of BGB intercepted a boat carrying a suspected smuggler in the Naf River of Teknaf upazila at 6:50 pm while he was heading towards the Beribadh area, according to BGB.
At one stage, the BGB challenged the boat. BGB seizes drugs worth Tk 13.5crores from them.
BGB has recovered 2 kg 64 grams of crystal meths, worth Tk 10.32 crores, from a plastic bag at Teknaf beach in Cox's Bazar.
The Crystal Meths were recovered from Jhaubon beach near Noakhalipara Marine Drive in the upazila last year.
BGB seized 2.119kg of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) in drives at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar on May 24 last year.
Tipped off, a team of BGB-2 challenged two smugglers coming from Myanmar at Keora near Domdomia BOP at around 4:00am.
Sensing danger, the smugglers left the drugs and fled the scene immediately, according to BGB. The BGB men seized 1.056kg of Crystal Meth worth Tk 5.28 crore.
BGB has seized five kg of recreational drugs worth Tk 25 crore in Cox's Bazar on January 20 last years. This is the largest haul of Crystal Meth or ice in the country to date, BGB's Cox's Bazar unit said in a statement.
Following a tip off that some drug traders would enter Bangladesh from Myanmar with a large consignment of Crystal Meth, the BGB petrol team took position under a bridge near Palangkhali Bazar.
The Crystal Meth was found in the bags they left behind. "Legal action is underway regarding this," said the statement.
A high official of Narcotics control department (DNC) told The Daily Observer that "We are investigating the sudden rise of crystal meth's use in the country and its direct or indirect applications. The drug may also be consumed at the shisha bars. Crystal Meth is a popular drug in Myanmar," he said.
