Phensedyl being smuggled in juice bottles

Drug smugglers have been coming up with new tactics to evade detection. In a latest attempt, a man was detained while smuggling contraband phensedyl cough syrup from India in juice bottles, reports UNB.

A team of Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) seized a consignment of phensedyl from Islampur on 30 December and detained Gautam Kumar Shil, 46. Another drug dealer Parag Chowdhury fled the scene, said Parvin Akhter, sub-inspector of police (detective branch).

The team recovered 12 juice bottles from Gautam’s house containing 6 litres of phensedyl. Gautum said Parag had brought the consignment to his house.

They used this technique to smuggle phensedyl several times in the past. Parag was arrested in 2017 with drugs, said the sub-inspector.

The big bottle containing one litre phensedyl had cost Tk 400.

Law enforcement agencies said drugs like phensedyl and yaba are being smuggled through the border hidden in seasonal fruits. Smugglers frequently change their tactics.

Though consignments of drugs are being seized by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police, criminals who lead the smuggling gangs remain in the shadow.

Those who are being arrested are mostly mules carrying the contraband items in exchange for money, UNB quoted sources to say.

In November and December last year, the DNC carried out 207 drives and arrested 54 drug peddlers.