Due to the ongoing anti-drug drive, transporting yaba by road, rail and waterways has become tough. In such a situation, drug traders have chosen air routes to ship yaba. Of the methods adopted, the most dangerous is the one where a carrier swallows packets of yaba or carries them in the private parts.
Without prior information, yaba carried in this way cannot be detected.
The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport does not have any scanner to detect drug shipments and this is being exploited by traders. However, a proposal has been sent to the home ministry to increase the technological capacity of the airport to prevent drug trafficking.
Civil aviation sources say that to consolidate security at the airport, modern equipment is being installed. Already, dual view X-ray scanning, liquid explosive detection system, under vehicle scanning, gate with card reader, explosive detection machine have been placed.
The scanning machines in use can detect metal objects, wine or spirits, but not yaba.
Department of Narcotics Control say that a person can carry two to two and a half thousand pieces of yaba in the stomach and carriers bring them from Chittagong.
As per the airport based Armed Police Battalion, APBN, from July, 2018 till January 2019, 63,898 pieces of yaba have been recovered with 26 cases lodged.
Additional director of narcotics Nazrul Islam Sikder, observed: “We have sent a proposal for improved technology and once it’s implemented, drug trafficking can be contained.”
The anti drug drive which began on 5 May last is ongoing.