Controlling international drug route from Dhaka
Don Frankie aka Jacob Frankie is a Nigerian citizen. He had been controlling international drug smuggling for a long time under the guise of trading in various products of Bangladesh's manufactured garment industry.
Director General of Narcotics Control Department (DNC) Mustaqeem Billah Farooqui said this at a press conference organized at DNC's Uttara office in Tejgaon industrial area of the capital on Sunday (January 28) afternoon.
Earlier on Wednesday (January 24) a citizen of Malawi was arrested from Shahjalal International Airport immigration in the capital with 8 kg 300 grams of cocaine. Then on the night of January 25, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) arrested another citizen of Tanzania with 200 grams of cocaine.
In just one day, the DNC went into the field to catch those involved in the largest cocaine recovery in the history of the country. After that, 6 people including two Bangladeshis were arrested in a series of raids from January 25 to January 28. After that, the information about the international drug smuggling ring came out under the cover of the garment business in the country.
The arrested are- Saiful Islam Roni (34), Md. Asaduzzaman Apel (27), Cameroonian Kelvin Yeung, Nigerian citizen Nonso Ejima Peter alias Oscar (30) and Noodle Ebuka Stanley alias Podsky (31).
DNC Director General Farooqui said, after the arrest of the Malawian and Tanzanian citizens, their interrogation, analysis of digital devices and CCTV footage led to the discovery of a Nigerian citizen named Don Frankie, the main owner of the cocaine smuggling ring, along with other members. He controlled international drug smuggling under the guise of a garment business. He is known as Big Boss to the members of the ring. Frankie is the President of Bangladesh Nigerian Community. Frankie, who has been staying in Bangladesh for the past 9 years, moved to his country 9 months ago.
He also said that Kelvin, a citizen of Cameroon, was arrested after conducting a raid in the Bashundhara area of the capital after analyzing various information. Kelvin entered Bangladesh on the 20th of this month with another foreigner Mohammad Ali. Kelvin is one of the members of this drug ring. He is sitting in Bangladesh to coordinate the local and foreign members of the drug. Kelvin was preparing to leave the country on the news of the arrest of a citizen of Malawi with cocaine on the 24th. He was arrested during this preparation.
Farooqui said, after the arrest of Roni, the Bangladeshi associate of the drug gang master Don Frankie, the DNC launched an operation to arrest others of the gang. Rony is the Bangladeshi coordinator of this syndicate. He also worked behind the scenes of various businesses in the garment industry for a long time. His job was to assist the drug carriers in the necessary invitations to enter the country, hotel bookings and visa processing. These invitations were issued using the name of a company called Maspex Limited. Analyzing Ronnie's mobile phone, laptop and other technology devices, evidence of sending multiple fake invitation letters and involvement with ring master Frank was found. Besides, Frankie's office was raided and important information of the cocaine smuggling syndicate and various luggage used for the transportation of cocaine were found from a house in Baridhara. Analysis of CCTV footage and questioning of house owners revealed that Frankie left Bangladesh 9 months ago. In his absence, Frankie's brother Wesley and their manager Asaduzzaman Apel ran the business from this residence. They went into hiding after receiving the news of the seizure of cocaine. Later, Apel was arrested during the raid.
In questioning, Apel told the DNC that he was responsible for assisting with the repackaging and security of the cocaine shipment after it entered Bangladesh. Evidence in this regard was found by analyzing his digital device. Frankie's brother Wesley left Bangladesh a few days ago. Later, on the basis of the information provided by Apel, Oscar and Podsky were arrested in a raid in Bashundhara residential area of the capital.