The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-10 has uncovered a yaba manufacturing "factory" in Keraniganj, Dhaka, and arrested four people along with yaba tablets, raw materials, and equipment used to produce the drug.
Speaking at a press briefing at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar on Friday, RAB-10 Commander and Additional DIG Mohammad Asaduzzaman said the suspects were arrested during a raid in the Madhyachar South Baluchar area under the jurisdiction of Keraniganj Model Police Station around 10pm on Thursday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Md Alamgir, alias Ande, 40; Ali Arman, 36; Md Shahjahan, 40; and Sonia, 30.
Asaduzzaman said the raid led to the seizure of 1,968 yaba pills, various powdered raw materials used in yaba production, manufacturing equipment, five mobile phones, and a digital weighing scale.
"During preliminary interrogation, the suspects admitted they had been involved in producing and selling yaba for about two years. Based on information they provided, we have indications of the existence of more such factories, which are now being verified," he said.
According to RAB, Alamgir has three narcotics cases filed against him at the Rampura, Kamrangirchar, and Mohammadpur police stations. The agency also claimed that all four suspects are professional drug traffickers.
Responding to a question, Asaduzzaman said the raw materials used to manufacture yaba are not illegal in themselves.
"These materials have legitimate industrial uses in various factories. However, this group developed a method of using them to produce yaba. The suspects will be interrogated while in remand to determine the source of the raw materials and the details of the manufacturing process," he said.
In response to another question, he said the group operated its drug trafficking network in Kamrangirchar, Old Dhaka, and nearby areas.
"Legal proceedings against the suspects are under way," he added.