A total of 480,000 yaba tablets were seized and one person was arrested in three separate anti-drug operations in Teknaf and Ramu’s Himchhari areas of Cox’s Bazar from Friday night to Saturday morning, according to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).

BGB personnel recovered 440,000 yaba tablets in two separate operations along the Teknaf border, while the DNC seized another 40,000 tablets and arrested a 20-year-old man in the Pechar Dwip-Himchhari area of Ramu.

The arrestee has been identified as Md Alif alias Akash, 20, a resident of the Dariyanagar area of Cox’s Bazar municipality.

According to BGB sources, a special patrol team of the Ukhia Battalion (64 BGB) under the Whykong Border Outpost conducted an operation in the Lalur fish enclosure area along the border at around 2:10am on Saturday.

At the time, BGB members said they saw a person entering Bangladesh from Myanmar and challenged him. The man reportedly fled towards a nearby village after dropping a polythene bag. The BGB said they later searched the bag and recovered 40,000 yaba tablets.

Then, at around 3am, a special patrol team of the same battalion under the Nhilla Border Outpost conducted an operation in the Shmashanghat area along the border.

According to the BGB, four people were entering Bangladesh from Myanmar carrying sacks.

When BGB members challenged them, they reportedly dropped the sacks and fled. The BGB later searched the sacks and recovered 400,000 yaba tablets.

Meanwhile, the Cox’s Bazar district office of the Department of Narcotics Control conducted an anti-drug operation in the Pechar Dwip-Himchhari area of Ramu at around 8pm on Friday.

The agency said a search of a tourist vehicle on the Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar Marine Drive road led to the arrest of Alif, with 40,000 yaba tablets.

The DNC said the yaba tablets were kept in four large packets inside a blue travel bag. A case was filed against Alif at Ramu police station under relevant sections of the Narcotics Control Act, 2018.

Lieutenant Colonel Md Zahirul Islam, Commanding Officer of the Ukhia Battalion (64 BGB), said BGB intelligence surveillance and operations were continuing to prevent drug smuggling through the border.

Efforts were underway to identify those involved in the drug supply and bring them under the law.

Meanwhile, Somen Mondal, Deputy Director of the Cox’s Bazar district Department of Narcotics Control, said anti-drug operations would continue.