Arakan Army ‘smuggling drugs’ into Bangladesh for cash, foods, goods

The Arakan Army, a non-state ethnic armed group based in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, is allegedly smuggling drugs into Bangladesh in exchange for cash, essential commodities, cement, rod, cloth and other goods, said sources at an intelligence agency.
Dozens of Bangladeshi syndicates are illegally providing the essential goods and other things for the drugs, said the sources at the agency, adding that at least 17 routes are being used to commit the crimes.
Quoting some smugglers, the sources revealed that the Arakan Army is using around 70% of the revenue generated from the drug smuggling to purchase firearms and ammunition.

In press bulletins sent to media outlets, the Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) said they thwarted at least nine attempts to smuggle different goods in the coastal areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram from 13 May to 6 September this year.

The BCG personnel arrested at least 61 smugglers and seized essential commodities, cement, rod and other things worth around Tk98.25 lakh at that time.
The foods and goods were being smuggled into Rakhine State of Myanmar, according to the bulletins.

In the latest drive on 6 September night, the BCG arrested 10 smugglers and seized potato and garlic worth around Tk7 lakh near Chhera Dwip at St Martin’s Island,  said Lieutenant Commander Siyam Ul Haque, the media officer at the BCG.

They seized 197 sacks of cement, 197 kg of nails, 1,116 pieces of chewing tobacco for betel and 130 cartoons of medicine worth around Tk4.36 lakh from a fishing boat at Nazirartek in Cox’s Bazar Sadar on 4 September night, said the media officer.
Sources at an intelligence agency said that the Arakan Army is smuggling the drugs for essential goods to remedy the food crisis 

and demand for daily necessities in their region.
It is transporting drugs – particularly methamphetamine (yaba) and crystal meth (Ice) – from production hubs in Shan State to Rakhine State, then into border areas and beyond since taking control of the Rakhine State.

Quoting an intelligence report, the sources said that the Arakan Army-linked cross-border suppliers are working with transnational syndicates and hundreds of carriers across 17 routes.

Some of the syndicates are already listed, while some others got involved in the crimes recently.
The drugs and arms smuggled from Myanmar has become a serious national problem, said the sources.
When contacted, Lieutenant Commander Siyam Ul Haque told the Daily Sun that the BGC is carrying out operations to curb drugs and arms trafficking through continuous surveillance.

Md Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters, said that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) are working over the issue.
BGB’s comments in this regard could not be obtained despite several attempts.
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