The travelling cosmetics 'sales person' and more on Bangladeshi drug network

The PNB has unravelled more details of the now dismantled Bangaldeshi network. Information gained by questioning three Bangladeshi nationals arrested in connection with heroin stashes in Dehiwala and Mount Lavina had aided the PNB to provide information to their Bangladeshi counterparts in the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).

Investigation by the DNC had led to the arrest of six individuals: four men and two women. However, the ring leader identified as Ariff Uddiu had fled Bangladesh with his family to avoid arrest. He is suspected to be hiding in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ariff is described as a businessman with links to Ahamed Hossen Sumon, a known Pakistani drug kingpin. Efforts are underway to obtain Interpol 'blue notices' on both of them. Two weeks ago, a PNB delegation visited Bangladesh to interview the six suspects. "We have made progress and are continuing with the investigation," the PNB source said. "The opportunity to interview the suspects in Dhaka was valuable and the Bangladeshi police were very supportive."

PNB suspects that, under the instructions of Ariff, Rehana Akthar, another Bangladeshi was the key handler for a number of couriers who carried out deliveries for the network. She is suspected to have been the organiser of the Kawdana Road safe house in Dehiwala where 263kg of heroin was found along with 5kg of Cocaine and 13 travel bags with false bottom compartments.

Detectives suspect that the small concealed compartments can hold 2-3kg of narcotics and were used to smuggle narcotics through airports. In one such attempt, Rehana had travelled to Shanghai from BIA on July 20, 2018, where she was arrested by law enforcement authorities after the drugs were detected in her bag. She is currently held in Shanghai. Her associates had apparently not known what happened to her. The presence of the 13 bags points to several successful drug runs, detectives believe. Police have learned from the suspects that the couriers flew frequently to India, Bangladesh, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to deliver drugs hidden in their travel luggage. Rehana had registered as an official travelling salesperson for several international cosmetics manufactures and used it as a cover to frequently go "for business" to several destinations. "She has travelled with bulk quantities of cosmetics, and had often claimed that she was delivering new samples to new clients," the PNB source said.

The PNB also believes the suspects who were arrested with the record 294.49 kg of heroin seized in two mini vans in a Wellawatte supermarket parking lot, were also in charge of transporting bulk quantities of heroin from shipments to safe houses for the Bangladeshi network.