Members of Rapid Action Battalion-2 (RAB) in a special drive arrested 43 members of several teen gangs in the capital on Wednesday night.
They were detained from Mohammadpur, Hazaribagh, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Tejgaon while making preparation for mugging, said Shihab Karim, assistant director (media) of the force.
He said the RAB unit conducted the special drive, taking cognizance of mass media reports on rising extortion and mugging incidents.
Several GDs and cases were filed with different police stations.
The activities of the gang members threw the common people into a panic.
Shihab said they enhanced their intelligence surveillance after collecting information about the gangs.
On Wednesday, they came to know that a big number of members of the teen gangs were taking up position at different places in Mohammadpur, Hazaribagh, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Tejgaon to commit mugging. The force members rushed to the spot and arrested them.
During primary interrogation, the arrestees confessed they used to snatched cash and valuables from lone passersby at gunpoint or knifepoint.
They were also involved in drug trading and eve teasing.
Besides, they helped land grabbers to grab land of others in exchange for money.