Drug smugglers thrive in Benapole as scanners still don’t work

Even more alarming is the recurring problem of missing goods due to the lack of adequate scanning machines, including one costing Tk 5 crore.

UNB

October 27, 2024, 13:25

Last modified: October 27, 2024 1:27 pm

Sources said there has been an alarming increase in the number of seizures of Phensedyl bottles and other drugs at the port in recent times, highlighting the fragility of security measures. Photo: UNB

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Sources said there has been an alarming increase in the number of seizures of Phensedyl bottles and other drugs at the port in recent times, highlighting the fragility of security measures. Photo: UNB

A drug trafficking racket has become increasingly active at the country’s largest land port in Benapole, using three scanning machines that are not working due to the indifference of the authorities concerned.

Sources said there has been an alarming increase in the number of seizures of bottles of Phensedyl and other drugs at the port in recent times, highlighting the fragility of security measures.

Despite the 375 CCTV systems operating in and around the port, the vigilance of intelligence, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Ansar and members of the private security agency Prima, the drug trade seems impossible to curb.

Even more alarming is the recurring problem of missing goods due to the lack of adequate scanning machines, including one costing TRY 5 crore.

The expensive scanner was used to scan trucks in Bangladesh and India. Yesterday, October 26), Ansar members found 49 bottles of Phensedyl after chasing drug dealers at Gate 5.

Later, a case was opened against some unknown persons at the Benapole port station.

On July 2, 99 bottles of Phensedyl were seized from imported Indian goods at a raw materials warehouse.

Khelaluzzaman, an Ansar representative stationed at the port, said their members discovered 49 bottles of Phensedyl after noticing suspicious movements of several people surrounding the truck.

The drugs were later handed over to the Narcotics Control Department (DNC), he said.

A few days ago, two fingerprint machines disappeared from the office of the deputy traffic chief.

Sources at the port blamed the drug trafficking on negligence on the part of the authorities concerned, which makes it difficult to apprehend the culprits.

Currently, 163 members of Ansar, 42 employees of the APBn and 129 employees of the Prima private security company are on duty, as well as 375 installed CCTV cameras.

Anowar Ali Anu, vice-president of the Benapole Importers-Exporters Association, said smugglers collect drugs from trucks loaded with Indian goods or at borders and distribute them throughout the country.

He noted that traders use the port as a base for smuggling, often with the help of unscrupulous officials.

Shamsur Rahman, president of the Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, stressed the need for the use of scanning machines to combat drug smuggling and called on law enforcement agencies to be more vigilant.

Rashedul Sajeeb Nazir, deputy director of the port, said they have raised the issue of idle scanners with higher authorities.