Man held with crystal meth in Pirojpur

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a man in Pirojpur in possession of crystal methamphetamine, popularly known as ‘ice’. 

The arrestee, 27-year-old Masum Khan Raj, claimed himself to be a leader of a local union parishad unit of the Awami League.

However, a leader of the party’s Pirojpur upazila unit confirmed that Masum was not a member of the party. 

“However, he used to work for our affiliated organizations,” said the leader, asking not to be named. 

Acting on a tip-off, the RAB conducted a drive in the upazila’s Tona union, the elite police unit said in a media statement.

They had intel that Masum was selling drugs to one of his customers, it said. 

Masum was arrested around 9:45pm on Saturday as he tried to escape during the drug bust.

At least 100 grams of crystal meth was recovered from Masum’s possession, said the RAB.

Law enforcers across the country recently arrested several people for running crystal meth and seized large quantities of the contraband. 

On July 15, police in Chittagong arrested three people with 80g of crystal meth and 5,000 yaba pills from Bijghata area.

Two days earlier, three drug peddlers were arrested with 975 grams of crystal meth worth Tk1 crore in Chittagong city.

On July 12, the Cox’s Bazar police arrested a Rohingya woman with crystal meth worth Tk15 lakh in Teknaf upazila. 

What is ‘ice’?

According to the Melbourne-based Alcohol and Drug Foundation, crystal methamphetamine, also known as “Ice” is a stimulant drug that speeds up the neural transmission between the brain and the body.

It’s stronger, more addictive, and therefore has more harmful side effects than the powder form of meth known as “speed.”

“Ice” usually comes as small chunky clear crystals that look like ice. It can also come as white or brownish crystal-like powder with a strong smell and bitter taste.

“Ice” is also known as: crystal meth, shabu, crystal, glass, and shard.