Police have crock around 15 acres of immovable property of 10 ‘godfathers’ involved in the drug trade. The value of which is at least Tk 70 crore. Their wealth acquired through crime is around Tk 85 crore.
Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Mohammad Ali Mia announced this information in a press conference on Wednesday. The conference was held at the CID’s head office in Malibagh, the capital.
At that time, the CID chief gave the names and identities of 10 godfathers involved in the drug trade.
They are Nurul Haque Bhutto, Shafiq Alam alias Shafiq, Nurul Kabir, Siddiq Ahmed and Md Fazor Ali; Shafiq Alam alias Shafiq alias Shafi of Chattogram; Shahin Alam of Pabna; Shahjahan Howladar of Khulna; Nurul Islam of Adabar, Dhaka and Parul of Tongi East Police Station.
The CID chief said that although transporters and retailers were caught in earlier raids by law enforcement agencies but they are the godfathers of drugs. Out of these, four are absconding, and two have been released on bail. They used to bring drugs from Myanmar and Teknaf and send consignments all over the country. Although they had no profession, bank transactions were unusual.
He said the CID began to investigate a total of 35 drug cases after 2020. The total amount of the assets of the ‘godfathers’ named in these cases is about Tk 178 crore.
In the investigation of 10 cases, their movable and immovable properties have been crock as per the court’s order, as information about their proceeds of crime has been found. The remaining 25 cases are under investigation, he added.
“In three cases out of the 35, a total of 9.18 acres of land, two houses worth Tk 8 crore owned by the accused ‘godfathers’ have been seized through a court order. Around Tk 1 crore deposited by them in banks has also been frozen in a money-laundering case. Efforts are underway to seize another 35 acres of land worth Tk 37 crore, 12 houses and a car,” Ali said.
Mohammad Ali Mia said, initially CID investigated 35 cases and found money illegally earned from drug business (kept in bank accounts), purchased land, houses, flats and various movable and immovable properties of the main owners or godfathers of drug cases.
The name of Abdur Rahman Bodi, the former Member of Parliament of Cox’s Bazar, has come up as the godfather of drugs.
In response to the question of whether the CID found involvement in Bodi’s or his brother’s drug business while investigating the drug case, the CID chief said, “While investigating the money laundering related to the drug case, we found the involvement of Aminur Rahman and Abdus Sukkur, two brothers of former member of parliament Abdur Rahman Bodi.”
“Even if we find evidence against Bodi, he will not be exempted. He will be arrested and not be exempted against whom we will get information and evidence,” he added.
In response to another question, Mohammad Ali Mia said that drug godfathers will be brought under the law in Cox’s Bazar. Those who have illegally acquired assets and finances in the drug trade will have their illicit assets go to government funds through legal process.
