Police busted an illegal arms manufacturing hub in the remote Badarkhali area of Chakaria, Cox's Bazar arresting six people including two women and recovering firearms, ammunition and weapon-making equipment.
Acting on a tip-off the police raided West Hunyapara in Badarkhali Union on Sunday night, trekking nearly two kilometres through hilly terrain to reach the hideout. Officials shared details at a press briefing on Monday.
Those arrested included known criminals identified as shooter Rajib "Jasu Dakat" "Shooter Sagar" and Jahura Begum. Police seized a double-barrel rifle, a single-barrel rifle, a shotgun 77 rounds of ammunition and tools used for manufacturing weapons.
A follow-up raid in Halkatapara, based on information from the detainees, led to the arrest of another woman, Shohor Banu and the recovery of 685 more rounds of ammunition hidden in a pond behind her house. In total, police seized 760 rounds of ammunition along with a large cache of weapon-making materials.
Police said the group had long been involved in manufacturing and trading illegal firearms and also allegedly rented weapons to bandit gangs. Investigators are examining possible links between the seized weapons and robberies across Chattogram Division.
Chakaria Police OC Arifur Rahman said cases have been filed against the accused for arms possession and preparing for robbery with investigations ongoing to trace the source of the weapons and identify other suspects.
Assistant Superintendent Md. Abdul Aziz said the operation, carried out under Cox's Bazar SP A.N.M. Sajedur Rahman's supervision, reflected police's zero-tolerance stance on arms and drugs, adding that further action against criminal networks would continue.
