14 held in Gendaria ‘anti-drug’ drive

 
Two women were among 14 people detained during a joint anti-drug operation in Dhaka’s Gendaria on Monday, as authorities moved against open drug sales and consumption in the Ghuntighar area.

The operation was launched at 3:10pm by Special Response Battalion-3 (SRB-3) and the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), officials said. Yaba pills, cannabis and various drug-use paraphernalia were seized.

The drive followed reports of widespread drug trading and consumption along the railway tracks, stretching from Gendaria Railgate to Ghuntighar. When plainclothes members of the two agencies launched the operation, people at the scene attempted to flee. Many escaped by climbing over walls, officials said.

The detainees will face action through a mobile court, according to officials from the two agencies.

Mohammad Anwar Hossain, deputy director of the DNC’s Dhaka South office, said repeated raids had failed to keep the area free of drug-related activity because sellers and users returned after law enforcement teams left.

“They come here and then leave. When we conduct a drive, they leave. When we go away, they return. That is why we cannot remove them,” he told the Daily Observer. “If we could keep someone here regularly, we might see some results,” he added.

Ghuntighar has previously made headlines over an anti-drug operation involving former state minister for Liberation War affairs Ishraque Hossain, who took part in a drive in the area while carrying a firearm.