Dhaka: Chinese nationals entering Bangladesh as tourists have been linked to a range of organised crimes, including international drug trafficking, online fraud and the trafficking of Bangladeshi women, local media reported on Monday.
Recent operations by Bangladeshi agencies have uncovered networks allegedly operating with local accomplices in the South Asian nation.
According to investigators, the suspects have mainly set up bases in Dhaka’s Uttara, Bashundhara and Nikunja areas, while evidence from separate cases points to transnational networks that periodically move members in and out of Bangladesh using short-term visas.
The major discovery came earlier this year in March, when the Department of Narcotics Control seized 50 grams of ketamine hidden inside a Bluetooth speaker at a courier office in Dhaka, a leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune, reported.
Following the investigation, officers raided a flat in Uttara and arrested three Chinese nationals — Li Bin, Yang Chunhing and Yo Zhi.
The authorities said during the raid they recovered 6.3 kg of ketamine, chemicals, laboratory and packaging equipment, digital scales, phones and foreign currencies from a makeshift laboratory.
“During initial interrogation, the accused confessed that they used to collect liquid ketamine, set up a lab inside the flat and process it into powder form. Later, they tried to smuggle it abroad through courier services,” The Dhaka Tribune quoted DNC Deputy Director Mehedi Hasan as saying.
Investigators said that the suspects allegedly took orders through the dark web, hid drugs inside electronic equipment for international shipment and settled payments using cryptocurrency, particularly the TRON network.
Earlier this month, Detective Branch police arrested three Chinese nationals and a Bangladeshi woman in the Bashundhara area of Dhaka, exposing another alleged network involved in online fraud, illegal VoIP and gambling activities in the country.
Reports suggest that the operation led to the seizure of over 6,000 active SIM cards, along with 20 GSM gateways, 14 laptops and 16 smartphones. According to investigators, victims were initially approached with messages offering employment, attractive deals, or additional earnings before being directed to fraudulent links.
“Various crimes committed by Chinese citizens are coming to light. Several citizens have already been arrested on charges of online fraud. They are getting the courage to commit crimes with the connivance of some domestic individuals. Some more issues have come to light during the investigation. These are being worked on,” DMP DB chief Shafiqul Islam told Dhaka Tribune.
The growing cases pose a wider challenge to law enforcement, determining whether separate criminal groups are carrying out the crimes or form part of broader transnational networks using Bangladesh as an operational base for drugs, cybercrime and human trafficking.
(IANS)
