Lakshmipur Correspondent

In a major anti-crime drive, the Bangladesh Coast Guard apprehended a notorious pirate leader and his two close accomplices from the Meghna River basin in Lakshmipur.

The law enforcement agency recovered one single-barrel gun, three rounds of live ammunition, and Tk 8,00,000 in cash during the raid.

Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, Media Officer of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Headquarters, informed the details of the operation in a press release on Saturday afternoon.

According to Coast Guard sources, acting on a tip-off regarding a pirate buildup, a specialized team from the Coast Guard Station Ramgati launched an intensive, 11-hour overnight operation.

The raid commenced at 8:00 PM on Friday and concluded at 7:00 AM on Saturday in the Meghna River area adjacent to Janota Bazar under Ramgati Upazila. During the initial phase of the sweep, the team managed to intercept and detain the notorious pirate ringleader, Azim Bepari, along with his two associates.

Following a rigorous primary interrogation, the detained criminals disclosed the location of their secret riverside hideout. Acting on this intelligence, the Coast Guard team raided the den, leading to the recovery of the country-made single-barrel firearm, three live cartridges, and the embezzled cash amounting to Tk 8 lakh.

The detained individuals have been identified as the ringleader Md. Azim Bepari (32), Md. Bashir (40), and Rabbi (16). All three are residents of different areas under Ramgati Police Station in Lakshmipur.

Coast Guard files reveal that Azim Bepari is a habitual offender with a long criminal record. He was previously arrested with illegal firearms by the Coast Guard during a similar raid on September 29, 2022, and currently faces multiple active criminal cases, including charges of robbery and piracy, at various local police stations.

The process of handing over the detained suspects to local police, along with the seized firearm, live ammunition, and recovered cash, is currently underway as part of the mandatory statutory legal procedures.

The Coast Guard media officer added that aggressive operations against pirate networks and armed syndicates will be sustained systematically to ensure public safety and maintain a stable law and order situation in the country's coastal and riverine belts.