Three human traffickers arrested in Teknaf, 7 people including women and children rescued

The Bangladesh Coast Guard arrested three human traffickers, along with a firearm, during a special operation in the deep hills of Baharchhara in Teknaf Upazila, Cox’s Bazar. During the same operation, seven individuals, including women, men, and children, who were being held for trafficking, were rescued.

Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander (BN) Siam-ul-Haque informed on Monday (December 8) afternoon that based on intelligence, members of Coast Guard Station Teknaf and Outpost Baharchhara conducted a special operation in the area adjacent to the Marishbunia hills from 6 PM to 10 PM on Sunday.

During the raid, seven victims held captive in the traffickers’ secret lair in the hills were rescued. Simultaneously, the Coast Guard successfully arrested the three human traffickers from the scene. Based on their confession, a search of the lair uncovered one local firearm (improvised gun).

Interrogation revealed that several organized trafficking rings were planning to smuggle Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens to Malaysia from various parts of the country, including Teknaf, by showing them the dream of a better life, tempting them with high-paying jobs, and promising low-cost foreign travel. The victims were being held captive, intimidated, tortured, and attempts were being made to extort ransom.

Meanwhile, Teknaf Station Commander Lieutenant Salahuddin Tanvir stated in a press briefing, “The Coast Guard’s stringent stance against human traffickers will continue. Legal action is being processed against the rescued individuals and the arrested traffickers.”

The Bangladesh Coast Guard announced that such operations will be intensified in the future along the borders and coasts to curb human trafficking.