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Bangladesh busts Pakistan-linked heroin racket

By AFP
Published: September 4, 2012

Suspected heroin smugglers had been using DHL services to ship drugs from Pakistan to London via Dhaka. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

DHAKA: Bangladesh police said Tuesday they had busted a gang of suspected heroin smugglers who had been using international courier service DHL to ship drugs from Pakistan to London via Dhaka.

Five men are accused of using the method at least 60 times since 2008, sending drugs via the post to London using Bangladesh as a transit point, assistant police commissioner Touhidul Islam told AFP.

“A Bangladeshi immigrant in Birmingham leads the gang. He buys heroin from Pakistan and sends it to Bangladesh in courier services. The drug is then delivered to London mostly via courier services,” Islam said.

“Most of the time they used DHL to ship the heroin to London,” he said, according to information from one detainee, Shamsul Arefin, who is a cousin of the alleged ringleader.

The four others suspects work for a local courier service. They denied any wrongdoing and instead blamed Arefin for attempting to send heroin concealed inside the sole of a shoe in a package addressed to London.

“Arefin said they had been smuggling heroin in courier parcels for the last four years,” Islam added.

Experts say Bangladesh is emerging as a new conduit for trafficking drugs to the West. A top tycoon is awaiting trial after being charged in 2006 with leading a racket that shipped large amounts of heroin to Britain.

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Reader Comments (41)

  • tj
    Sep 4, 2012 - 5:22PM

    so where is Pakistan to blame in this?

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  • Khan of Cape Town
    Sep 4, 2012 - 5:31PM

    Bollywood Heroin ?

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  • Nadir
    Sep 4, 2012 - 5:56PM

    this is a conspiracy by DHL to defame Pakistan! Why did it need to fly East and then West? It did it on purpose! I call on ISI to investigate!

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  • Ash
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:04PM

    So what it has to do with Pakistan? I think story sells more if you include “Pakistan” directly or indirectly.

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  • Asad
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:09PM

    It’s Bengali smugglers buying heroin in Pakistan and then sending it abroad… looks like they busted their own heroin gang… anyway, thanks for that misleading title ET…

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  • Addy
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:12PM

    every one is trying to dispraise the Pakistan…..

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  • ufaquarian
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:15PM

    another irresponsible “headline” from ET. Guys this was a Bangali ring , they only purchased it from Pakistan. your headline should be ” Bangladeshi led heroin ring busted , purchased heroin from Pakistan” if your really wanted to highlight Pakistan’s involvement.

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  • Lofted Shot
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:27PM

    And East Pakistan Blame continues. Grow up Recommend

  • limne
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:30PM

    @Nadir: DHL is owned by Jews and a substantial stake is held by Americans and Indians. This is clearly a Mossad-CIA-RAW nexus.Recommend

  • Batman
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:30PM

    @tj @ash The answer to your question lies in the first sentence. “Bangladesh police said Tuesday they had busted a gang of suspected heroin smugglers who had been using international courier service DHL to ship drugs from Pakistan to London via Dhaka.”

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  • Jat
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:32PM

    @ufaquarian: “…Guys this was a Bangali ring , they only purchased it from Pakistan.”

    Why only from Pakistan ? Why not from Burma, or Thailand or Malaysia ? Is it because the goras prefer the top quality produced by Pakistani industrial empire ? Recommend

  • AZ
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:34PM

    ET the biased newspaper busy in defaming Pakistan in every possible way

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  • wolfie loves kulfi
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:42PM

    first how did the DHL consignment leave Pakistan port unchecked ?
    what was customs and security doing sleeping? what if some one sent a bomb in consignment on board a private aircraft and there was a tragedy? who would shoulder that responsibility ? the port authorities should fire the people on site who are responsible for state and national security for such a serious lapse forget the Bangladeshi even normal Pakistanis are at more risk with such security lapses

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  • Oracle (India)
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:53PM

    who say pakistan doesnt have industry ? one of the most profitable industry is in Pakistan…Lets celebrate this !: )

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  • Jat
    Sep 4, 2012 - 6:53PM

    @wolfie loves kulfi: Probably there are RAW/Mossad/CIA agents in port authority as well as in Pakistan custom department. It looks like yet another conspiracy !! :)

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  • Syed
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:03PM

    You know, I thank God that I never tried smoking, drugs or drinking. Its a blessing.

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  • amaan
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:06PM

    bengaldeshis taking their revenge, Recommend

  • Zap
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:07PM

    RAW is behind this

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  • Jat
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:19PM

    @Syed: People like you are responsible for Pakistan’s economy and industry going down the drain ! You are ready to consume KFC chicken and burgers from enemy no. 1 but refuse to consume your own pure domestic product.

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  • RS
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:20PM

    Next news will be Pakistan mouth feed heroin to end users. It seems even if some one coughs in the world, it’s because Pakistan exporting coughs around the globe. What a sick world we live in.

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  • Randomstranger
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:28PM

    Another failed attempt by ET to please its beloved Indian readers and commentators. (And another comment rejected by visionary moderators).

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  • Jat
    Sep 4, 2012 - 7:30PM

    @RS: You really want to know what is sick ? Do you really ? Go watch the beheading video of 12 of your own soldiers.

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  • Tj
    Sep 4, 2012 - 8:20PM

    @batman ya so by that logic what should have been said is bangladesh busts london based gang as thy are at the recieving end! Creating controversies even when there isnt one.

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  • Pashtun voice
    Sep 4, 2012 - 8:36PM

    first they moaned when they lost the cricket final and now they are blaming Pak for drugs smuggling ring run by Bangladeshis – a bunch of cry babies moaning about one thing or the other since 1947

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  • theman
    Sep 4, 2012 - 9:04PM

    @Randomstranger:
    you want cocoo news to please you all time?

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  • RS
    Sep 4, 2012 - 9:11PM

    @Jat: That’s exactly earlier comment was pointed. These TTP people (majority) are not even Pakistani, they deserve no mercy irrespective which side of the border they hv hideouts. They are not Muslims nor humans.

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  • Nand
    Sep 4, 2012 - 10:14PM

    If RAW/CIA/MOSSAD/KGB is responsible for everything inside Pakistan, it is not time the people of Pakistan vote them to run the Government also.

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  • khan
    Sep 4, 2012 - 10:22PM

    90% heroin is produced in afghn
    so obviously some will or atleast most will come into pakistan..
    its notable that pakistan produces non or very few of opium..Recommend

  • Ninja
    Sep 4, 2012 - 10:50PM

    wow ET you’re such a joke

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  • casim
    Sep 4, 2012 - 11:31PM

    yeah Indians all is bad in Pakistan whereas India is shinning & has become a developed country & now everyone around the world wants to take up Indian nationality :) you guys surely have too much time on hand to come here everyday to spread hatred!!! stop your obsession with us Pakistanis!!!

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  • Jat
    Sep 5, 2012 - 1:13AM

    @casim: We know all is bad in Pakistan, but then you don’t have to feel proud about it ! Or do you want everyone in the world to condone and commend heroin smuggling and jailing of 12 year old girl child ?

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  • suraj
    Sep 5, 2012 - 1:16AM

    @Jat:
    LOL…

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  • Usman Khalid
    Sep 5, 2012 - 2:03AM

    first news i opened on ET after so many days is misleading as usual.

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  • Soh!
    Sep 5, 2012 - 6:09AM

    @tj:
    Produced where? Get it!

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  • Adil
    Sep 5, 2012 - 6:23AM

    @wolfie loves kulfi:

    Yeah, as if Customs department and Port authorities in Pakistan have never been into news for any wrong reason.I am saying so even though never lived in Pakistan that much.One of my own uncles (Khalo’s) brother is in Customs, and my uncle who happens to be very religious tries to stay away from him as much as possible since he knows how the latter made so much money which was not possible had he worked honestly.Bribery and corruption is common among Customs officials just like many other institutions of Pakistan.

    I live in Canada and my dad was once visiting this family and coincidentally their relatives had recently moved to Canada.In front of my dad his relative was saying that he worked in Air force or some Airline,but my dad remembered his face as he had seen him working in Customs at Karachi Airport.The other guy just made an excuse and didn’t come infront of my dad just to save his face and any sort of embarassment.I am pretty much sure that even the host family also knew about their relative’s real occupation.

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  • Naeem Siddiqui
    Sep 5, 2012 - 7:09AM

    DHL failed to scan packages in 3 countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh and UK) !!?? what kind of courier company is this ????

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  • AL
    Sep 5, 2012 - 10:09AM

    @Naeem Siddiqui: Real answer to your qs: quite a successful one!

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  • Usman
    Sep 5, 2012 - 1:21PM

    Guys read this. Same story but with different title.

    http://tribune.com.pk/story/431572/bangladesh-busts-dhl-heroin-racket/Recommend

  • dude108
    Sep 5, 2012 - 1:55PM

    there is a pakistan link..even if they purchased from pakistan, it means pakistan sells it, it means these are open deals in Pakistan.. how can the government allows to sell it?

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  • proud israeli jew
    Sep 5, 2012 - 3:15PM

    wonderful tiitle….it definitely suits pakistan more than bangladesh and ukRecommend

  • Sobriquet
    Sep 5, 2012 - 9:43PM

    @limne:
    DHL is a fully-owned subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Post. So stop creating deceitful conspiracies as they make you look more witless than you probably are.

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