Miscreants rented flats in a building next to a graveyard and madrasa in Chattogram city and formed an illegal distillery there to avoid the attention of the police. Drug dealers used to travel to this factory to sell the local liquor easily and at higher prices in different parts of the city.
Panchshlaish police conducted a raid on Saturday noon and arrested eight people, including a drug dealer and a liquor maker, from Khatiberhat area of Bahaddarhat. The six arrested were identified as Uchir Doai Marma (44), Masang Marma (40), Ijing Marma (33), Yeh Marma (40), Hachema Marma (30), Young Marma (20). All of them are residents of Rangamati district.
Abu Bakar Siddique, ADC of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) North Division, said a large quantity of distilled liquor was seized at Khatib Hat along with the discovery of distilled liquor factory and brewing equipment.
6 people involved in this work have been arrested. In Khatiberhat area, 706 liters of domestic liquor was recovered from two flats on the 5th floor of a building behind the cemetery and madrasa on the west side of the mosque.
Shahidul Islam, AC of Panchlaish Zone, Md. Mostafizur, Inspector (Crime) of North Division and Md. Kabirul Islam, Inspector (Investigation) were present at the press conference, held on Sunday.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Panchlaish Police Station Zahidul Kabir said they have been renting a flat or two flats on the west side of the mosque and next to the madrasa for one year. There was a lot of movement of people in that area. They chose the flats as a building next to the cemetery and madrasa to evade the police.
He added that the manufactured liquor was sold in polythene and saline bags to drug addicts in different places of the city including Lalkhan Bazar and Chawkbazar. The operation was carried out on the basis of information provided by local liquor and wine making equipment and liquor buyers and drug addicts in different areas of Chittagong district including different parts of the city.
Whether the owner of the building or anyone else is involved in helping to build the distillery is under investigation. A case has been filed against them at the police station.
