40 arrested as police seize arms, drugs in raid at Mohammadpur’s Geneva Camp

Explosives, weapons, stolen property, and narcotics have also been recovered during the raid, police say

Police have arrested 40 people in a raid on the Geneva Camp in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur, an area known for its criminal activity.

The arrestees were taken into custody for their involvement in various crimes during the raid conducted from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning, said Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Ibne Mizan.

Eight cocktail bombs, two petrol bombs, six Japanese swords, five helmets, three knives, 11 stolen mobile phones and 500 grams of heroin were recovered during the raid.

Addressing a press conference at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday afternoon, Mizan said: "This is a regularly discussed location in Mohammadpur Thana where crimes are regularly orchestrated. The area is also known for drug trafficking."

He said that the operation was conducted on Saturday by 120 police as part of the regular law enforcement operations in the Geneva Camp area.

He said that many more names have emerged from the interrogation of the arrested. Through these operations, efforts will continue to prevent the situations that crop up in the area.

"The arrestees have given us a lot of information, I do not want to disclose it now, for the sake of the next operation."

Law enforcers launched a series of operations in the area in 2024 after numerous clashes over control of the drug trade and several deaths. The drug dealers who were arrested at the time were later released on bail and are once again clashing to wrest back control of their old businesses, police say.

Asked why it has not been possible to eradicate drugs even after so many operations, Mizan said: "We always try to control it. It is not possible to eradicate it. It has not been possible to eradicate drug addicts or traders before. Our efforts are ongoing. We may reach a desired level."

Questioned about suspects who turned back to crime after their release on bail, he said: "The police are a part of criminal justice. I place the highest importance on the arrest and investigation process of these suspects. The rest of the process is carried out by other organisations. We have no hand in it, so it would not be appropriate to comment on the matter."

In response to another question, he said: "After we took charge, there was an extreme explosion of crime in the Mohammadpur area after Aug 5 [2024]. In the last six to seven months, we have brought more than 3,000 people to book. We are conducting operations in crime-ridden areas. Later, criminals may choose other areas for their operations. However, we are not stopping, the operations are ongoing. I hope the situation will normalise."