Drug smugglers thrive at Benapole as scanners remain dysfunctional

Drug-peddling rackets have become increasingly active at the country’s largest land port in Benapole, taking advantage of three non-functional scanning machines due to the indifference of the authorities concerned.

The recovery of Phensedyl bottles and other drugs has recently increased alarmingly at the port, exposing a fragile security measure there, sources said.

Despite 375 CCTVs functioning in and around the port, vigilance by intelligence, Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Ansar and personnel of private security agency Prima, it seems that the drug peddling can’t be reined in.

More alarming is the recurring issue of missing goods, attributed to the absence of adequate scanning machines, including one valued at Tk 5 crore.

On Saturday last, Ansar members recovered 49 bottles of phensedyl after chasing some drug peddlers at gate No-5.

Later, a case was filed accusing some unidentified people with Benapole port station.

On July 2, 99 bottles of Phensedyl were recovered from imported Indian goods at the raw material yard.

Read: Indian Minister’s visit: Trade through Benapole port suspended for 2 days

Helaluzzaman, an Ansar official posted at the port, said their members recovered the 49 Phensedyl bottles after noticing the suspicious movement of some people surrounding a truck.

Later, the drugs were handed over to the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), he said.

A few days ago, two fingerprint machines went missing from the office of the Deputy Traffic Manager. Members of Prima were suspected to be involved.

Port sources held negligence by the authorities concerned responsible for the drug peddling, making it difficult to nab the culprits.

Currently, 163 Ansar members, 42 APBn personnel, and 129 staff from the private security firm Prima are on duty, in addition to 375 installed CCTV cameras.

Anowar Ali Anu, Vice President of the Benapole Importers-Exporters Association, said that smugglers collect drugs from Indian goods-laden trucks or borders and distribute them throughout the country.

He mentioned that the peddlers use the port as a base for smuggling, often aided by some unscrupulous officials.

Shamsur Rahman, President of the Clearing & Forwarding Agent Association, emphasised the need to make the scanning machines operational to combat drug smuggling and called for increased vigilance by law enforcement.

Rashedul Sajib Nazir, Deputy Director of the port, said they have raised the issue of the idle scanner machines with the higher authorities.