Crystal Meth also known as Ice which is more dangerous than Yaba tablet, has become a new concern as there has been increased smuggling of the drug from Myanmar in recent months.
According to law enforcement officials, since there is a huge demand of Ice in Bangladesh, Yaba traders mainly smuggle this drug from Myanmar.
On May 8, RAB seized over 24 kilograms of Crystal Meth from Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya in the biggest-ever seizure of the drug in the country. The seizure took place within 10 days of the previous largest seizure of 22 kilograms by the Border Guard Bangladesh in Ukhiya.
BGB also seized over 14 kilograms of Ice and Yaba pills on May 11 from Teknaf and Naikhyangchari.
The recent major seizures of crystal meth near the Myanmar border have indicated that the market for this relatively expensive drug is booming, raising serious concerns.
Physicians said consumption of Crystal Meth causes many problems including insomnia, memory loss and brain damage and consumption of ice for a long time also cause various physical and mental problems including weight loss, kidney and heart problems, depression and stroke.
Crystal Meth, popularly known as Ice, is the common name for crystal methamphetamine, a strong and highly addictive drug that is more harmful than Yaba pills, experts said.
Meth is far more expensive than most drugs, including Yaba pills, and youths from well-off families in major cities mostly consume Meth, said the Department of Narcotics Control Director of Operations and Intelligence, officials.
But more and more substantial volume seizures of the drug near the Myanmar border suggest that there have been growing demands for the drug in Bangladesh, he said.
The Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh seized around 60 kilograms of Crystal Meth in May at Teknaf and Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar and Naikhyangchari of Bandarban after those were smuggled into Bangladesh from Myanmar.
According to the DNC, law enforcement agencies seized 65 grams of Crystal Meth only in 2020, 36.798 kilograms in 2021, and 113.331 kilograms in 2022. Over 100 kilograms of Crystal Meth were seized in the first four and a half months of 2023.
Crystal meth first came to light when the DNC busted a manufacturing laboratory in the capital's Jhigatola area in February 2019 and arrested three youths.
A DNC official said that there are three main meth smuggling zones in Bangladesh - the Teknaf border, the Ukhiya border, and the remote, steep Naikhyangchari border in Bandarban. The Teknaf and Ukhiya borders account for the lion's share of Meth and Yaba smuggling.
Most of the Crystal Meth smuggling into Bangladesh from Myanmar is done through the Naf River. The Ghum Dhum border of Naikhyangchari is another point.
The gang used to collect meth from the Myanmar syndicate through the Ghum Dhum border and store the drugs in Rohingya camps or in steep hills before supplying them to Dhaka and other parts of the country, said a RAB officer.
Law enforcement and DNC officials could not speculate on what percentage of smuggled drugs they could seize and what percentage sneaked into the market.
Law enforcement agencies seized 65 grams of Crystal Meth only in 2020 while 36.798 kg in 2021 and 113.331 kg in 2022. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), only 10 per cent of Crystal Meth that enters in market is recovered.
