Supplying narcotics to party: All are from rich families

Following their arrest, it was known that Syed Nawsad was transforming anesthetic ketamine into narcotics at his residence in Banani
Collected

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) claimed to have arrested eight members of a drug cartel, conducting four drives at different areas in Dhaka on 7 and 9 December respectively.

Rasel alias Bhaista (nephew) Rasel, an accomplice of the then notorious criminal Subrata Bain, and his friend Ramicha Shimran were among the arrestees, said the DNC officials, adding that Ramichha is dubbed as Eden De Silva to the drug peddlers and consumers of posh areas in Dhaka.

The remaining are: Rubayet Ali, Nasim Iqbal (Apu), Syed Nawsad, Alvi Zabran, Prince Rahman and Sadi Rahman.   

The DNC north officials filed four cases against the members of this ring with Bhatara, Mohammadpur, Banani and Tejgaon police stations.

According to the DNC, Rubayet Ali, a resident of Banani, moved to the United Kingdom for higher study purposes after completing Higher Secondary (HSC) level. Then he returned to the country in 2011 and involved in drug dealing. It is primarily known that his father works as a contractor at different government offices.

The father of Syed Nawsad is also a businessman. He, another resident of Banani, went to Malaysia to pursue higher study, completing his intermediate level in Bangladesh. But Nawsad came back home in 2003 without completing his bachelor's degree.

It is learned that the father of Nasim Iqbal is a government official.  

The DNC official said Ramicha Shimran, whose father is an affluent businessman in Chattogram, left the country for India a couple of years ago to gain a bachelor's degree. But like Nawsad, she returned to the country, leaving her degree unattained. She got acquainted with Rasel while supplying narcotics to different parties.   

The assistant director of Dhaka north, Mehedy Hasan, told Prothom Alo that the members of the racket don’t communicate to one another over cell phone. They prefer using encrypted messaging apps, like Telegram, to maintain communication among themselves.    

Supplying new drugs to youths 

According to the DNC officials, the members of the cartel would supply yaba to different parties in the capital's posh area. However, along with yaba pills, they were selling crystal meth, a highly addictive drug, for more than five years. They were also supplying a new drug, which is made of anesthetic ketamine, to the youths.           

DNC official Mehedy Hasan told Prothom Alo five peddlers, including Ramicha, were arrested on 7 December. Following their arrest, it was known that Syed Nawsad was transforming anesthetic ketamine into narcotics at his residence in Banani.

Ramicha and other accomplices would collect ketamine from him. The DNC officials arrested Nawsad from Banani on 8 December with 2 grams of ketamine in possession.  

When asked, Mehedy Hasan said the patients are given ketamine injections before the surgery is carried out. Nawsad used to make a dangerous drug, mixing several types of chemicals with ketamine, at a lab at his home. He also sold the powder of ketamine at Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000 per gram.   

He learned how to transform the liquid ketamine into a drug when he was in Malaysia. They would mix the powder with the cold drinks and feed the youths without letting them know, the DNC official added.     

Involvement in drug dealing yet again  

In 2021, DNC Dhaka north officials arrested 10 persons from different areas in Dhaka and recovered yaba and crystal meth in a drive led by DNC official Mehedy Hasan.

He told Prothom Alo that the arrested 10 were the members of the same ring. Mohaiminul Islam (Evan) and Rubayet Ali were among the arrestees.

The duo later walked out of bail and became involved in drug business yet again.

Rubayet was arrested again on 7 December and Mohaiminul last July with crystal meth in possession. Now, Mohaiminul is in prison, he added.

Mehedy Hasan said they were also the children of well-off families who were arrested in 2021. Among 10 arrestees, three were involved in drug peddling after returning to the country completing higher education abroad.