Five smugglers detained with 340 sacks of cement while being smuggled to Myanmar
Cox's Bazar Correspondent
The Coast Guard has detained five smugglers along with 340 sacks of cement while being smuggled to Myanmar by trawler through the coastal sea route of Nazirartek in Cox's Bazar town.
This information was shared by Coast Guard Headquarters' Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Harun-ur-Rashid on Saturday afternoon.
The arrestees are Md. Arafat (30) of Charfassion upazila in Bhola district, Md. Ibrahim (26) of Patharghata upazila in Barguna district, Momtaz Ahmad (50) of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar, and Md. Shukkur (50) and Md. Johar (36), residents of Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila.
In the early hours of Saturday, Coast Guard members spotted a fishing trawler in the coastal sea adjacent to Nazirartek in Cox's Bazar town. As a 58-day fishing ban was in effect in the sea, the sight of the trawler raised suspicion among the Coast Guard members. When signaled to stop, the trawler's driver attempted to flee by speeding up. Later, after an hour-long chase at sea, the Coast Guard managed to detain the trawler. At that time, five traffickers on board the trawler were arrested.
“Later, upon searching the trawler, 340 sacks of cement were recovered. The detainees confessed that they were smuggling the cement to Rakhine State of Myanmar through the sea route to evade customs duties.”
The seized cement and trawler have been handed over to Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station, and legal action has been taken against the detainees under the relevant law, according to the Coast Guard's media officer.
