Home adviser announces list of top drug traffickers in Cox’s Bazar

The government has decided to prepare a list of the top drug traffickers operating in Cox’s Bazar as part of a broader crackdown on narcotics, Home Adviser Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting on drug prevention and law and order at the Hill Down Circuit House, the adviser said the list would be prepared impartially and used to take legal action against those leading the drug trade.

“A list of the top drug traffickers is being prepared without any bias. Further action will be taken based on that list,” he said.

The adviser said a special task force comprising the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, the district administration and other relevant government bodies has been working to curb drug trafficking in the district.

He said authorities would identify the entire drug trafficking network, including masterminds, smugglers and carriers, instead of focusing only on border raids.

To strengthen enforcement, law enforcement camps will be set up along key land routes used for smuggling, while Navy and Coast Guard patrols will be intensified on coastal and inland waterways.

Salahuddin Ahmed said the government is giving priority to preventing the spread of yaba, warning that the drug is driving addiction among the country’s youth. He also stressed the need for treatment, rehabilitation and awareness programmes alongside enforcement measures.

The meeting reviewed the drug situation in Cox’s Bazar, identified major smuggling routes and discussed strengthening surveillance in border and coastal areas, with emphasis on improving coordination among the agencies involved.