Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 458 people in a 24-hour special operation across different parts of the capital over allegations of involvement in various crimes. Police said the operation also led to the recovery of drugs, a firearm, a sharp weapon, mobile phones, blank cheque leaves, cash and a large quantity of counterfeit currency.
A total of 64 cases have been filed against those arrested in connection with the operation.
Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, disclosed the information on Tuesday (4 August). He said the arrests were made as part of the police’s regular efforts to prevent crime and maintain law and order across the capital’s police station areas.
According to DMP figures, the highest number of arrests came from the Mirpur division, where 135 people were detained. The Uttara division recorded the second-highest number, with 71 arrests, followed by Tejgaon with 57. Police also arrested 49 people from Wari, 37 from Lalbagh, 36 from Motijheel and 34 from Ramna.
A further 31 people were arrested in the Gulshan division. Six arrests were made by the Detective Branch (DB), while two people were detained by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. Police said the figures reflected the combined efforts of different DMP divisions and specialised units during the 24-hour operation.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 11kg 980g of cannabis, 6,336 yaba tablets and 90 bottles of Phensedyl. Police said the drugs were recovered from individuals allegedly involved in the supply or sale of narcotics in different parts of Dhaka.
The haul also included a one-shooter gun and a samurai sword. Police seized 17 mobile phones, 30 blank cheque leaves, Tk1,080 in cash and counterfeit notes with a face value of Tk2.8 million.
The recovery of counterfeit currency is likely to be a significant area of investigation, particularly as police examine where the notes came from and whether those arrested were linked to a wider distribution network. Similarly, the seized mobile phones and blank cheque leaves could provide investigators with potential evidence concerning financial transactions, communications or other alleged offences. Any such links, however, will have to be established through investigation and legal proceedings.
Dhaka, as the country’s largest metropolitan area, regularly sees police operations targeting narcotics, illegal weapons, financial fraud and other forms of organised and street-level crime. The DMP has continued to rely on both routine policing and intelligence-led operations to identify suspected offenders and disrupt criminal activity in areas considered vulnerable or strategically important.
Police said legal proceedings against the arrested individuals are under way at the relevant police stations. The seized drugs, weapons, counterfeit currency and other materials will be examined as part of separate investigations. If investigators find evidence that additional individuals were involved in the alleged offences, further legal action may follow.
The DMP also said surveillance and intelligence activities had been strengthened alongside regular patrols and enforcement operations in different parts of the capital. Police maintained that such operations would continue in an effort to bring alleged offenders under the law and help maintain public safety and normal law-and-order conditions across Dhaka.
