18 'robbers', 2 'gun runners' held

Police yesterday busted a gang of robbers with the arrest of its 18 members while they were plotting a robbery in Jatrabari area of the capital.

Tipped off, a Jatrabari police team raided a six- storey building at Golapbag in Jatrabari around 1:30am and arrested them, said Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner (Wari Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), at a press conference  at DMP Media Centre.

In the primary investigation, the robbers confessed to their involvement in robbery and mugging in different areas of the capital.

Police also seized 40 mobile phones, 2 laptops, 2 machetes and 5 knives from their possession.

Meanwhile, in another raid in Motijheel on Wednesday, DMP police arrested 2 illegal arms traders with 2 pistols and 4 bullets.

The arrestees--Sirajul Islam and Hasina Begum--confessed to their involvement in illegal trading.      

Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Md Snigdha Akhter conducted the drive around 5:30pm.