Gazipur Police Arrest 3,217 in Six-Month Crackdown on Crime

The Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) arrested 3,217 individuals and filed 1,454 cases between January and June in a comprehensive drive to curb city crime. GMP Commissioner Israel Hawlader presented these statistics during a press briefing on Tuesday.

The six-month operation targeted major offenses, leading to 176 cases of violence against women and children, 28 kidnappings, and 27 cases of murder or robbery. Among those arrested were 46 kidnappers, 377 robbery suspects, and nearly 1,900 individuals linked to illegal narcotics.

Anti-drug efforts yielded massive seizures, including 51,560 Yaba pills, 357 kg of marijuana, and nearly 2 kg of heroin, resulting in 812 drug-related cases. Authorities also recovered 10 illegal firearms and ammunition, prompting 60 weapons charges.

Commissioner Hawlader emphasized a "zero-tolerance" policy against drugs and teen gangs. Police are currently tracking the illegal assets of top drug dealers, and an updated database of teen gang members is nearing completion.

Police also took a hardline stance against political sabotage and industrial extortion. Following recent flash mobs by the banned Chhatra League and Awami League, 15 suspects were arrested, with over 100 more currently being identified. Additionally, 18 individuals were detained for attempting to illegally dominate the local 'jhut' (garment waste) trade in the Tongi East area.

Through enhanced surveillance and modern technology, violent crimes like kidnappings and "honey traps" have noticeably decreased. Furthermore, police successfully identified 19 of the 20 bodies recovered during this period, accelerating ongoing investigations.