Chattogram: District police have recovered eight different types of arms and arrested two members of an arms trade syndicate after searching a Noakhali-bound microbus at Bashbaria Bazar under Sitakunda thana of the district on Friday afternoon. The arms included a six-shooter gun, one locally made rifle, and one single-barrel gun, Additional District Police Super (Industrial Zone and DB) Md Rasel confirmed this here today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the detained individuals were identified as Md Manir Hossain, 45, son of Kanchan Dhali of Majhi Bari under Ishakhati union of Airport thana in Barishal district, and Md Monir, 48, son of Shams Uddin Patwari of Panchgaria village under Chatkhil thana of Noakhali district.
Police revealed that a criminal gang has been manufacturing various types of arms in the remote hilly areas of the Shaplapur region under Moheskhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar district for a long time. This gang has been supplying these illegal arms to criminal gangs in other parts of the country, particularly in the Feni and Noakhali districts, using river and land routes.
District police officials stated that they have been gathering information on the arms manufacturing and supply gang and have been trying to trace their operations. Acting on a tip-off and under the direct supervision of Police Superintendent of Chattogram district Saiful Islam Shatu, a team of detective police set up a check-post near Bashbaria Bazar on the Dhaka-Ctg highway under Sitakunda upazila.
The DB team attempted to stop a microbus, but the vehicle defied the order and tried to escape the scene. Police pursued the microbus and were able to detain it. The recovered arms were concealed inside a compartment within the microbus.