Drug smuggling by sea now a big concern: Department of Narcotics Control

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) and Narcotics Control Bureau of India have agreed that drug smuggling through the sea route is currently the main concern for both countries.

"Drug peddlers keep changing their routes constantly. The two countries' vigilance at the land border has curbed drug smuggling through the land routes.

So, the smugglers are now using sea routes for smuggling yaba and other drugs," said DNC Director General Abdus Sabur Mandal in a press briefing on Wednesday after a virtual bilateral conference between the DNC and the Narcotics Control Bureau of India.

When asked if the DNC is satisfied with its Indian counterpart's response to their demands, Abdus Sabur Mandal said they were satisfied with India's response in the last six bilateral meetings.

"They have fulfilled most of our demands and demolished most of the makeshift factories used for producing yaba and other drugs in their area," he said.

In Wednesday's meeting with the Narcotics Control Bureau of India, the DNC emphasised the routes through which drugs are being smuggled into Bangladesh and shared information on those routes.

"We have informed them that hemp and heroin are being smuggled into Bangladesh from India. India assured us of taking action," said the DNC director-general.

Abdus Sabur Mandal also said recently that Phensedyl smuggling into Bangladesh has decreased significantly.

The DNC chief said narcotic items, mainly yaba and crystal ice, would not be smuggled from the neighbouring country in such a large volume if them Myanmar government had taken actions to stop drug smuggling into Bangladesh.

He also stressed diplomatic pressure on Myanmar to curb the drug flow into Bangladesh.

"We have proposed a tri-party meeting among Bangladesh, India and Myanmar's narcoticsn control authorities and India has agreed to that,' said Sabur.

He said waterways are being increasingly used for smuggling drugs into Bangladesh and in many cases, Myanmar's yaba consignments are being smuggled into Bangladesh using the Indian routes.

The DNC chief expressed alarm over the recent exposures of the relatively new drug crystal ice, also known as meth.

He said crystal ice is far more harmful and dangerous than yaba pills and it is not only a problem for Bangladesh; rather it is a regional problem.

Asked if there is any lapse in border security, the DNC director-general said there were no specific lacking in the security at the border. The Border Guard Bangladesh and the Border Security Force of India have been in constant communication to put a check on drug smuggling.