Drug trafficking: CID hunts for additional Tk130cr properties

The financial crime unit of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has launched its quest for additional properties acquired by top drug traders from Cox’s Bazar, valued at over Tk130 crore.

CID said they are upholding Bangladesh government’s zero tolerance policy towards illegal drug trade and none of the illegal drug traders will be spared. Even if CID could unearth any of their properties that gained through illegal drug trade, they will be seized.

The specialized investigating unit of the police, are investigating 35 cases filed since 2017 and identified several kingpins of the drug trafficking.

CID chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia recently at a press briefing at its headquarters revealed that through the legal process they have already crocked 9.14 acres of land, two houses in three of these cases. The property is worth Tk 8.11 crore. Besides, they have seized over Tk 1.01 crore from these kingpins’ bank accounts.

CID uncovered the involvement of two siblings-Aminur Rahman and Abdur Sukkur -- of former Teknaf MP Abdur Rahman Bodi during the inquiry into illicit earnings from drug trafficking.

The Add IGP strictly said that if in any stage of the investigation, the involvement of the former MP (Bodi) was found, he would also not be spared.
Here is to mention that the duo was among the 102 drug peddlers of Cox’s Bazar who had surrendered, intending to return to normal life on February 16, 2019, in the presence of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and the then-police chief Javed Patwari. Aminur and Sukkur were also convicted in a drug case in 2022 in absentia.

According to the Financial Crime Unit of the specialized investigation unit, they have got information about wealth including purchased land, house and flats and also deposited money worth Tk 178.44 crore that were earned through drug trafficking.

Among them the investigating teams have confirmed properties and deposited money of Tk 45.94 crore, said SP Azad Rahman, also the spokesperson of the department.

“Among them, properties and deposits worth Tk 9.12 crore has been crocked and seized. And processes for crocking and seizing properties and deposits worth Tk36.82 crore are under process,” he added.

The properties do not include any property identified under Bodi’s siblings’ names.

SP Basir Uddin, also the investigating officer of the case, said from the portion of the properties and deposits that they are tipped off, they only identified properties and deposits worth Tk45.94 crore.

“We are in hunt for the rest of the possible properties worth Tk132 crore. But this will not be that easy. Acquiring properties with relatives and partners’ names is making the process more difficult. Till now some 14 accused of the cases have been arrested and many of them are on bail right now. The biggest challenge is to ensure that the properties were made by earning from drug trafficking. But the progress in the cases are making us hopeful to find out every drop of the properties earned through illegal trade, laundered money,” he added.

He said that all major figures in the narcotics trade will be apprehended in due course. Those found to possess illicit assets and finances derived from drug trafficking will have their unlawful proceeds seized by the government through legal means, he assured.