Seven Arrested Over Alleged Mohammadpur Robbery Plot

Police have arrested seven men, including an alleged notorious criminal known locally as “Kutta Faruk”, over accusations that they were preparing to carry out a robbery in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area and planning retaliatory attacks against individuals believed to be police informants.

According to police sources, the arrests were made during a special overnight operation in the Shekhertek area of Mohammadpur on Wednesday night (8 July). Officers from Adabor Police Station carried out the raid after monitoring the group’s alleged movements for an extended period as part of an investigation into organised criminal activities in the locality.

Police said preliminary findings suggest that the group, allegedly led by Faruk, had been planning to rob a poultry farm during the early hours of the morning. Investigators also claim the suspects were preparing revenge attacks on behalf of associates of recently arrested juvenile gang leader Billal Hossain, also known as “Bhaista Billal”, and another alleged criminal identified as “Moura Sohel”. Authorities believe individuals suspected of providing information to law enforcement were among the intended targets.

During the operation, officers recovered several locally made sharp weapons, including machetes and Samurai-style swords. The seized weapons have been taken into police custody and will be examined as part of the ongoing investigation to determine whether they were intended for use in planned criminal activities.

Law enforcement officials said organised criminal groups operating in different parts of the capital frequently rely on hired offenders to maintain their influence and carry out violent operations. In this case, investigators have received information indicating that several alleged hired criminals from the districts of Shariatpur and Madaripur had been brought in to support the planned operation. Police said those claims are being thoroughly investigated and that efforts are continuing to verify the identities and roles of everyone involved.

Following the arrests, all seven suspects were taken to the police station, where legal proceedings were initiated in accordance with the law. Authorities have also begun questioning the detainees in an effort to identify other members of the alleged network, its financial backers, and any additional criminal activities linked to the group.

News of the operation quickly spread throughout the neighbourhood, drawing local residents, business owners and people who said they had previously fallen victim to criminal activity in the area. Many described longstanding concerns over muggings, extortion, drug-related offences and violent intimidation, claiming that organised criminal groups have continued to create insecurity despite repeated law enforcement operations.

Several residents expressed frustration that suspects arrested in previous crackdowns had, in some cases, secured bail and allegedly resumed similar criminal activities soon afterwards. They argued that lasting improvements in public safety would require not only arrests but also stronger efforts to dismantle the financial networks, logistical support and illegal weapons supply chains that enable organised crime to operate.

Police acknowledged those concerns and said investigators are working to gather further intelligence through the interrogation of the suspects. Officials added that additional raids could be conducted if new information emerges regarding accomplices or associated criminal groups.

Mohammadpur and neighbouring Adabor have witnessed increased law enforcement surveillance in recent months as authorities intensify efforts to curb organised crime. Police expressed hope that the latest operation would significantly disrupt the activities of the alleged criminal network and contribute to improving security across the area while reassuring residents concerned about persistent criminal violence.