Law enforcement agencies arrested or detained 1,149 people in a 24-hour special operation across the Chattogram Range targeting juvenile gangs, mugging, extortion, terrorist activities and drug-related offences.
Of those detained, 649 were held in operations against juvenile gangs. A large quantity of drugs was also seized during the anti-drug drives.
The arrests and detentions took place between Monday (November 2) and Tuesday (November 3), according to police.
Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury said the detainees included 102 people in regular cases, 81 in previous cases, 41 under Section 34 of the Police Act, four under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and 35 under Section 151 and other laws.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of 137 people under arrest warrants and 16 under conviction warrants.
Another 84 people were arrested in drug-related cases, including one drug carrier and 83 drug users. Additionally, 47 people were arrested as suspected drug dealers in regular and other cases. A total of 131 people were directly arrested during the operation.
In anti-drug drives, mobile courts sentenced 23 people to imprisonment. Authorities also collected Tk 10,600 in fines and filed 35 drug-related cases.
The seized items included 17,044 yaba pills, 30 kilograms and 435 grams of cannabis, 188 litres of locally brewed liquor, six bottles of foreign liquor and 697 bottles of Skaf cough syrup.
Meanwhile, 20 members of a banned organisation were arrested. Of them, eight were arrested in Chattogram, one in Cox's Bazar, four in Cumilla, one in Brahmanbaria, three in Noakhali, one in Feni and two in Khagrachhari.
Of the 649 people detained in the juvenile gang crackdown, 419 were handed over to their guardians after signing undertakings. Legal action was taken against the remaining 230.
Cumilla recorded the highest number of juvenile gang detentions, with 385 people held. The district-wise figures were 70 in Chattogram, 43 in Lakshmipur, 37 in Chandpur, 34 in Cox's Bazar, 18 each in Brahmanbaria and Feni, 17 in Noakhali, 12 in Rangamati, eight in Bandarban and seven in Khagrachhari.
Police said the special operation would continue in the public interest.
