A large quantity of medicines and Tk6,06,140 were seized from their possession.
15 October, 2026, 06:10 pm
Last modified: 15 October, 2026, 06:19 pm
Four people, including a Chinese national, have been arrested for allegedly smuggling medicines worth around Tk7.5 crore, used to treat cancer and other complex diseases, abroad.
The arrestees are Li Fen, 34, a Chinese national, Bakul Nahar Bithi, 24, Yunus Ali, 26, and Sajib Hawlader, 28.
SRB-3 Commanding Officer Lt Col Faizul Arefin disclosed the information at a press conference at the force's Shahjahanpur office in the capital today (15 October).
He said a special SRB team conducted a drive in the city's Uttara area yesterday (15 October) and arrested them for illegally sending medicines abroad evading government revenue.
A large quantity of medicines and Tk6,06,140 were seized from their possession.
The arrests followed the seizure by Laos customs on 13 October of a 100kg consignment of medicines sent by courier, as the shipment lacked valid documents.
The gang allegedly sent medicines, particularly those used for cancer treatment, through courier services to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and other countries, where the drugs reportedly fetch higher prices, at different times, Faizul said.
He said Chinese national Li Fen arrived in Bangladesh in August 2024 on a 30-day tourist visa. He would return to China two to three days before his visa expired and then re-enter Bangladesh on another tourist visa within one to two days.
Bithi studied business administration at a university in China from 2019 to 2023, when she learned the Chinese language, the SRB official said. "After returning to Bangladesh, she worked as an interpreter for various Chinese nationals."
He said they were investigating the types and quantities of seized medicines and the roles of those involved. "The involvement of courier services is also being examined."
Investigators also suspect that some employees of pharmaceutical companies may have been involved in the illegal trade for higher profits.