Man Arrested at Dhaka Airport for Smuggling 6,378 Yaba Tablets in Stomach
The Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBN) arrested an airline passenger at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for attempting to smuggle a large quantity of Yaba tablets inside his stomach from the domestic terminal.
The passenger, identified as Md. Pannu Howladar (30), was detained based on confidential information on Saturday night from the road in front of the airport’s arrival gate, shortly after he arrived in Dhaka from Cox’s Bazar on US-Bangla Airlines flight BS-142.
The Concealment Method
The APBN reported that Pannu Howladar, a resident of Amtali Upazila in Barguna district, had cleverly concealed the Yaba tablets inside his stomach. When he was detained as a suspect and interrogated at the Airport Armed Police Office, he confessed to the act.
Upon the advice of the duty doctor, an X-ray examination confirmed the presence of numerous oval-shaped objects in his stomach. He was then taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital, where, under the supervision of doctors, 136 packets were naturally expelled from his body.
• Total Recovery: After opening all the packets, which were wrapped in Scotch tape, a total of 6,378 (six thousand three hundred seventy-eight) Yaba tablets were recovered.
APBN’s Statement
Mohammad Mozammel Haque, Operational Commander of the Airport Armed Police Battalion, expressed astonishment at the method of smuggling:
“Carrying such a massive amount of Yaba in the stomach is truly a surprising incident. We are under strict surveillance to prevent drug trafficking and any illegal activities surrounding the airport. Regular operations are being conducted with the goal of preventing any kind of crime from occurring using Shahjalal Airport.”
Airport police confirmed that a case has been filed against Pannu Howladar under Section 36(1) Clause 10(C) of the Narcotics Control Act, 2018.
