Dhaka: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two members of a gang accused of stealing gold ornaments by posing as traditional healers and luring victims through Facebook advertisements.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a CID Dhaka Metro-East team apprehended Ziasmin Akter, 21, and Abdullah Mia, 66, during a raid in the Fakirtilla area of Chhatak, Sunamganj, at around 2 am on September 3. The arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into a series of thefts involving the cunning use of social media to target unsuspecting victims.
Investigators revealed that the gang had been advertising traditional healing services on Facebook, claiming to offer cures for various illnesses and problems. After gaining the trust of their victims through rituals and incantations carried out at their homes, the suspects would persuade them to gather their gold ornaments as part of the so-called treatment process.
Once the jewellery was collected, the gang would wrap it in a handkerchief, place it in water, and distract the victims before making their escape with the valuables. The CID launched a thorough investigation after a victim filed a case with the Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka in July.
Using a combination of intelligence and technological analysis, investigators were able to identify the gang and its associated Facebook pages. During the raid, police recovered a gold ring and a gold chain with a pendant, weighing a total of 21.83 grams and valued at approximately Tk 450,000, from Ziasmin's possession.
The two suspects have been sent to court with a remand plea, as authorities continue their efforts to apprehend other members of the gang and recover the remaining stolen jewellery.