International Drug Trafficking Syndicates Change Route to Enter Malaysia

Over the past one month, the police launched a series of operations to crack down drug trafficking activities and seized drugs worth 2.6 million Malaysian ringgit ($0.86 million) at different places around the country. At the same time, the police also discovered that Nigerian drug trafficking syndicates have changed their strategies. Instead of traveling to Malaysia by air, they make use of Thai women by love possessed to bring drugs into Malaysia by land.
Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim, director of the Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, disclosed that earlier, Iranian drug traffickers were often seized, but the recent operations saw a decline in the number of Iranian drug traffickers arrested. In contrast, Nigerian drug traffickers seized have been increasing.
From June to August this year, the police had arrested a total of 20 foreign drug traffickers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (and the Low Cost Carrier Terminal. There was an obvious drop as compared to the 27 arrested during the same period last year.
Thai Women Risk Danger for Love
"However, between June to August last year, the police arrested 18 Iranian drug traffickers at the airports, but only 4 Iranians were nabbed in the same period this year. On the contrary, no Nigerian drug trafficker was arrested within this period last year, but the number had soared to 13 this year," he said.
In addition to the two major airports in Kuala Lumpur, Nigerian drug traffickers also tried to traffic drugs into Malaysia through other states such as the international airports in Penang and Sabah. Nevertheless, in view of the tight control of the anti-narcotics police at the checkpoints, they have changed their strategy by attempting to traffic drugs into Malaysia by land.
From the operations launched in the past two months, the police discovered that some arrested Nigerian drug traffickers were accompanied by some Thai nationals. Therefore, the police did not rule out the possibility that these drug traffickers had made use of these Thai women as drug mules and made them risk danger for love.
"The police arrested two Nigerian men and two Thai women and seized 18.7 kg of marijuana worth 37,400 ringgit ($12,498) on 20 August. The four suspects are aged between 25 to 32 years old," he said.
Drug trafficking syndicates have now shifted from crystal methamphetamine (ice) to marijuana. The current market price of marijuana is 2,000 ringgit ($668) per kg.
The Terengganu state police also arrested a 26-year-old Malay man last night and seized 6,930 WY pills worth 173,250 ringgit ($57,617). The police also found heroin worth 5,000 ringgit ($1,663) and cash amounting to 31,000 ringgit ($10,308).
Drugs Hidden in Secret Compartments in Car
The drug trafficking syndicates hid their drugs in secret compartments in their cars such as hiding the drugs in bumpers and under car mats. But the police aptly exposed their tricks. Over the past two months, the police managed to cripple two syndicates using this method to traffic their drugs and nabbed 16 suspects.
Noor Rashid disclosed that the police blocked a Toyota Crown at Sri Damansara Road at 1115 on 6 September, and found 60 slabs of marijuana weighed 60 kg in secret compartments in the car.
The police arrested a Thai man and two Malay men on the spot. The trio are aged between 25 to 32 years old. The three suspects hid the 60 slabs of marijuana under the mats of the back seat and under the bumpers at both sides of the vehicle.
In September 2011, the police arrested two Nigerian men at a gas station at Duta Road when the duo got off the car. The police also nabbed a Thai woman sitting in the car and seized 29 slabs of marijuana weighed 28.1 kg kept in the car.
The three suspects are aged between 28 to 41 years old. All the six arrested are now being investigated under the Section 38 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Once found guilty, they will be sentenced to death penalty.
In addition, the police also arrested 10 drug traffickers last month and seized 88 packs of heroin No.4, 1 kg of heroin, 30 kg of marijuana, and 16.1 kg of crystal metamphetamine from secret compartments in 4 Mercedes-Benz cars.

Wives, Relatives of Top Bangladesh Militants Under Law Enforcers' Surveillance

The relatives of top militants are under surveillance. Surveillance, particularly on the relatives of those militants who were hanged by court order, is being closely monitored round the clock. After being released on bail, the widows of top militant leaders Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai have been staying in their own localities. The chief of the Media Wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Commander M Sohail said that the activities of the relatives of the militants were under surveillance round the clock.
Convicted Militants
Sources say, among the 34 convicted militants six were executed. Nabil Rahman, son of Shaikh Abdur Rahman, is now in Comilla Prison. After being released on bail, Bangla Bhai's widow Fahima Khatun is now residing at Naodapara in Rajshahi. Earlier maternal grandmother of Saad, the three-year old son of Bangla Bhai, was given legal custody of the child by court order. Nurjahan Begum, widow of Shaikh Abdur Rahman, after being released on bail, went to Naodapara in Rajshahi. Since the hanging of Abdul Awal, his widow Afifa Begum has been residing in her in-law's house. Afifa Begum is the daughter of Shaikh Abdur Rahman. Afifa Begum has a 3-year old daughter named Talha. Shaikh Abdur Rahman is survived by his sons -- Mahmud Rahman, 16, and Fuad Rahman, 12, are attending Akua Dakhil Madrassah in Mymensingh. His youngest son Ahmed Rahman, 5, lives in Rajshahi with his mother. At Kushal Centre in Uttara model town (about 9 km from downtown Dhaka city) there are two purchased shops owned by the late Shaikh Abdur Rahman from which his family gets Taka 5500 per month as rent. In addition, the deceased has some cultivable land at a village in Jamalpur District. After the execution of Shaikh Abdur Rahman, his younger brother Ataur Rahman arguably married the daughter of Moulana Jafar. Ataur Rahman became the chief of militant party Jamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB); afterward he was arrested.
Another JMB leader named Faruk Hossain alias Khaled Saifullah was executed; after his execution his widow did not keep in touch. Saifullah's two brothers -- Belayet Khan and Enayet Khan -- live in Goalta village of Kaokhali in Pirojpur District; they are cultivators. Another brother of Saifullah is an employee of a private company. Another executed militant convict Iftekhar Hsan Al Mamun hailed from Motihar in Rajshahi District; his father Kamruzzaman is a day laborer. At present Mamun's father and mother earn a livelihood as day laborers and live with three children.
RAB source says, 28 convicts who got death sentence appealed to the High Court. Source says, they will be awarded capital punishment through legal process.
List of Convicts
Appellant 28 convicts are: Hafej Mahmud alias Rakib Hasan alias Hyder hailing from Phoolchhenna village of Melandaha Thana of Jamalpur District; Salahuddin alias Salehin alias Sajib hailing from Narayanganj; Abdul Qayyum from Niamatpur village of Naogaon District; Hafej Muhammad Minhazur Islam alias Sohel Rana alias Sanoar Hossain from Khamarkandi village of Sherpur Thana in Bogra District; Aktaruzzaman from Satpoa village of Sarisabari in Jamalpur District; Tarikul Islam alias Rinku from Ramnagar of Rupsa in Khulna District; Monirul Islam alias Mokhlesur of Shikarpur village in Jhenidah District; Nasrullah alias Shanto of the same village; Rokanuzzaman alias Sibun from Debrajpur village of Kaliganj in Jhenidah District; Abu Taleb Ansari alias Babul Ansari of Bridge Road in Gaibandha District and former security guard of the Parliament building; Mohan, Mamunur Rashid, Muhit, Mojammel Hak alias Mojam, Tuhin Reja, Sabuj Ali and Faruk Hossain from Jhenidah District; Matin alias Matinur Islam from Bridge Road of Gaibandha District; Mahirul Al Mamun alias Chand from Arpara village of Kaliganj in Jhenidah District; Billal Hossain from Beparipara in Jhenidah District; Sahabuddin from Mollakop village, Robjel Hossain alias Robjel and Azizur Rahman from Jhenidah District.
Those who are absconding among the death row convicts are: Abu Said Sheikh son of Shahidullah Sheikh from Srik ol village in Kushtia District; Yunus Ali from Jhenidah District; and Tejarat Ali's son Azimuddin.
Sources say, relatives of these militants have been kept under surveillance for years. The chief of the Media Wing of the RAB, Commander M Sohail, said that militants' relatives are generally involved in militancy. In many cases, the whole family was found involved in militant activities, he said adding that relatives of the militants will always remain under surveillance.

New US and Allies Outlook on Taliban

The attitude of the United States, so to say the Western world has stated changing on the Taliban issue. Now, they want to proceed through not confrontations and clashes but through understanding and peaceful means. After fighting for over a decade in Afghanistan, they have now decided to establish peace by putting an end to bloody war. They are trying to overcome the challenges through political settlement instead of military confrontation. It seems they have changed their stand and policy on Taliban issue.
Al-Qaida and Taliban are the diehard enemies of the United States and its allies. These two organizations are black-listed as international terrorist operatives. Their supporters and sympathizers are also regarded as the enemies of the western world, including the United States. These are also defamed internationally as the enemies of mankind. Not only the Western world, all countries of the glove which are the members of the United Nations hate these extremists and their shelter givers.
The Al-Qaida is blamed for launching terrorists' attacks on Twin Towers of New York and Pentagon building in Washington on 11 September 2001. The Taliban are also identified as the terrorists and extremists as well as accomplices and patrons of the Al-Qaida operatives. The United States and the United Kingdom blamed Taliban for 9/11 terrorist attacks and took vow to crush such evil forces. To attain this objective, they installed an alternative regime of Taliban government in Afghanistan by launching joint the US and British military attacks on Afghanistan on 7 October 2001 to crush the Taliban regime in Kabul as retaliation of the 9/11 incident. Later, an election was held in Afghanistan. The anti-Taliban Karzai government is still ruling Afghanistan. The US troops are still stationed in Afghan soil.
Movements Against Western Forces
Although the western forces were succeeded to overthrow the Taliban regime, they could not eradicate the followers of the Taliban from Afghanistan. They are still building up resistance movements against the Western occupation forces. They are carrying out sniff attacks on Anglo-US forces. The Taliban forces have been continuing guerilla warfare against the strongest western troops for over a decade. The Taliban military strategists made the western power deeply concerned. When they (three Western power) have felt that there is no way to eradicate the Taliban by military action, they have no other alternative but to think for changing their policy and strategies. And exactly the western powers are doing the same thing on Taliban issue. This has been crystal clear from some recent remarks of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. At a press conference on 17 June Hamid Karzai said that the western powers have started discussion and negotiations with the Taliban forces to establish peace ending one decade of arms confrontations. Although it was in the air for quite some times that the United States was trying to start negotiation with the Taliban force, this is for the first time that a high-level Afghan leader like Hamid Karzai admitted this publicly. But he informed that this discussion is still at initial stage. There may be some constructive talks when Afghan Affairs conference will take place in German capital Bonn in next December.
That the United States is going to change its stand on Taliban issue was sensed from some remarks of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the beginning of the current year. She, however, told about some pre-conditions of beginning peace talks with the Taliban forces. She said that before initiating any such peace negotiation, the Taliban must snap their relations with Al-Qaida operatives. Besides, Taliban have to accept the present constitution of Afghanistan. The Taliban, however, outright rejected Hillary's offer.
Al-Qaida’s Threat to the US
The present stand of the United States and its allies is irrevocable on the issue of Taliban. In this regard they are prepared not to give any concession to the Taliban extremists. On 2 May, the US troops entered deep into Pakistan territories and killed Al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden. The incident is not end here.
The United States declared its vow to kill Egypt-origin Ayman Al-Jawhiri when he was elected leader of the Al-Qaida international terrorist operative to replace Osama Bin Laden. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of US army declared that Jawhiri would also have to face the same fate like that of Osama Bin Laden. As we have killed Ladin, we will do the same thing in case of Jawhiri, Admiral Mike said. He said that Al-Qaida was still great threat to the United States.
Prevailing Political Reality in Afghanistan
Political analysts viewed that the United States is going to change its stand on Taliban because of prevailing political reality in Afghanistan. The reflection of the attitude of the United States and its allies on Taliban and Afghanistan has also fallen on the United Nations. The UN Security Council has also adopted resolution to carryon more effectively and vigorously its war against terrorism giving new thought towards Taliban and Al-Qaida. The Security Council in this regard is considering two proposals. There is an agenda to take vote in the Security Council in this issue. In these proposals it was said that the Taliban and the Al-Qaida would have to consider under two separate perspectives. This is because these two organizations and extremists outfits do not have same agenda. The aim of the Al-Qaida is to attack on Western interests and to reach this objective they are lodging jihad (holy war). However, the objectives of the Taliban are limited to their own country. They seldom launch any attacks targeting the outside world. Present Chairman of the Security Council and German Ambassador to the United Nations, Peter Wig, while giving his comment on the resolutions taken by the Security Council in the first part of June last on Taliban and Al-Qaida said: "The decision of the security council to impose sanctions separately on Taliban and the Al-Qaida is the true reflection of the reality existing in Afghanistan."
War on Terror
Through taking divided resolution on Taliban and the Al-Qaida, it is presumed that situation has been fast changing in Afghanistan after the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Now time has come to give new thought. In the meantime the New York District Court has dismissed the cases filed against Laden on charge of terrorism owing to his death. Judge Luis Kaplan dismissed over 200 charges of terrorism, murders, use of weapons of mass destructions for killing civilian people brought against Osama Bin Laden. The charges brought against Ladin were dismissed by the court after being sure about his death.
Al-Qaida chief Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden is no more. He was replaced by Al-Jawhiri. Nothing as such new target of Al-Qaida was heard from the lips of Jawhiri until today. Although some hints were received about the change of attitude of the US Administration on the Taliban, no sign was noticed about the aggressive attitude of the United States against the Al-Qaida. However, there is indication of new formula of the United States over its declared the war on terror in cooperation with Pakistan.