Maungdaw, Arakan State: Around 1680 Yaba tablets were seized and one person was arrested at the Maungdaw entry and exit point yesterday, an aide from the police department said.

Acting on information, a special group of Nicotine control agents and police went to the exit and entry point of Maungdaw and checked the people, who were going to Bangladesh on business. They seized 1680 Yaba tablets from a Rohingya man called Salim, son of Abul. He was arrested by the special group, the aide said.

During the interrogation, Salim confessed that he was only a carrier meant to ferry the Yaba tablets to Bangladesh, and the owners were Zubair and Zaibur Rahaman from Shewza village. They were the main suppliers of Yaba tablets from Maungdaw, the aide added.

The suppliers jointly cooperate with some high level officers from Maungdaw.  Thousands of Yaba tablets are now in Maungdaw, will smuggle to Bangladesh from Maungdaw. “But, I do not know, where they keep the other tablets,” said Salim.

The suppliers, Zubair and Zaibur Rahaman are now going to hide and try to solve matters through their collaborators, who are working with them, said a businessman from Maungdaw.

In Maungdaw, most of the high level officers like the Burmese border security force (Nasaka), police and army personnel are involved in such trade to earn easy money through the drug business, said a school teacher.

Most young people and students use Yaba tablets in Maungdaw and some are involved in the drug business, from which they get easy money, the teacher said.