RAB arrested two smugglers with a large quantity of consumer goods while smuggling them from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar to Myanmar's Rakhine.
Consumables include 4,470 liters of edible oil soybeans of various types, 1,36,550 pieces of medicine and 500 kg of flour.
RAB said smugglers were taking advantage of the war situation in Myanmar to smuggle these products into Rakhine.
Additional Superintendent of Police Mo Abu Salam Chowdhury, head of media cell of Cox's Bazar RAB 15, said on Tuesday afternoon that some unscrupulous traders and smugglers have been using various sea channels in Cox's Bazar district, taking advantage of the war situation in Myanmar, to smuggle edible oil soybeans, various daily necessities, fuel oil and Diesel is being illegally smuggled into neighboring Myanmar. By doing this, the government is losing billions of rupees in revenue. At the same time foodstuff, octane, diesel etc. are being smuggled from one country to another causing artificial crisis in the country. As RAB-15 came to the notice of the smuggling of various daily necessities to the neighboring countries by evading government revenue, RAB's intelligence surveillance and activities were increased to arrest the members of this gang and prevent smuggling.
He said that RAB came to know about secret information that some smugglers are staying in Vita area adjacent to a chicken farm in Sadar Union Hatiyarghona area of Teknaf Upazila with edible oil soybeans and various daily necessities. A team of RAB-15 Teknaf camp conducted a special operation in the area yesterday (February 12) Monday night based on Erie sources. At that time two smugglers were arrested while trying to escape after realizing the presence of RAB. During preliminary interrogation, the arrested smugglers revealed their names and addresses and admitted that they were stockpiling edible oil soybeans, medicine and flour for smuggling to neighboring countries. Later, after searching the chicken farm, 4,470 liters of soybean oil in 895 bottles, 1,36,550 pieces of medicine and 10 sacks of 500 kg of flour were seized along with 1 jeep. Arrested traffickers Abdul Mannan and Ali Hossain are residents of Hatyar Ghona area of Teknaf Sadar Union.
This RAB official also said that during the interrogation of RAB, the arrested traffickers said that due to the recent war in Myanmar, there was a huge shortage of various products including oil, medicines and food items and a huge increase in the price of goods. Taking advantage of this unusual situation, various foodstuffs including oil were purchased from Bangladesh at a low price and smuggled to Myanmar using various sea channels at a high price. In exchange, besides cash, they used to bring Yaba and other drugs to Bangladesh.
RAB said the ongoing conflict between government forces and the separatist Arkan Army in Myanmar has led to shortages of medicine, fuel and food products in the country's Rakhine state. With this, an unscrupulous business circle has become active in smuggling these products and goods at high prices using various channels of the Bay of Bengal.
In addition to the loss of government revenue, artificial crisis is being created in the local market of the country.
In a press release sent to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of the Law and Media Branch of the RAB headquarters, gave this information.
The arrested are Abdul Mannan (24) son of Abul Bashar of Sadar Union of Teknaf Upazila and Ali Hossain (45) son of deceased Hashan Ali of the same area.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin said that due to the ongoing conflict between the government forces and the Arkan Army inside Myanmar, several areas of the country's Rakhine State have been cut off from communication. This has resulted in the crisis of various daily commodities including fuel oil, medicines and food products in that state of the country. Due to the critical situation of the state bordering the neighboring country, the demand for these products has become active, and a gang of unscrupulous traders and organized smugglers has become active. With this, RAB has increased surveillance in various areas of the border.
On Monday night, a team of RAB raided the house of one Abul Bashar in Hatiyar Ghona area of Teknaf Sadar Union on the news that some people of the organized smuggling gang had stored a large amount of goods for smuggling to neighboring countries. Sensing the presence of RAB members, 4/5 people tried to run away. After a chase, two people were arrested but the others escaped.
At this time, 4 thousand 470 liters of soybean oil, 500 kg of flour and 1 lakh 36 thousand 550 different kinds of medicines were found stored in Abul Bashar's chicken farm. "
The official of RAB's media wing said, "The arrested said during the interrogation that they had been smuggling fuel, medicine and food products to the neighboring country Myanmar for a long time through various border channels. In addition to the government losing a huge amount of revenue, it has created an artificial crisis in the country's market. "
Khandaker Al Moin is said to have confessed to RAB that the gang was bringing large consignments of drugs to Bangladesh in exchange for daily commodities in Myanmar.
