Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) says it has uncovered a yaba manufacturing factory in Dhaka’s Keraniganj and arrested four people along with yaba tablets, raw materials and equipment used to produce the drug.

The arrestees were identified as Md Alamgir, 40; Md Ali Arman, 36; Md Shahjahan, 40; and Sonia Begum, 30.

Additional DIG Md Asaduzzaman, also commanding officer of Rab-10, disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the Rab Media Centre in Karwan Bazar today.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-10 conducted a drive at the factory on Thursday night and seized 1,968 yaba tablets, different types of powder-like raw materials used in yaba production, and equipment related to the manufacturing process, Asaduzzaman said.

He said during preliminary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that they had been involved in producing and selling yaba for nearly two years.

Based on information provided by them, Rab has found indications of the existence of several more such factories, and the matter is being verified, he added.

Three drug-related cases have been filed against Alamgir with Ramna, Kamrangirchar and Mohammadpur police stations, said the Rab-10 commander, adding that all the arrestees are professional drug dealers.

In reply to another question, Asaduzzaman said the gang operated its drug business network in Kamrangirchar, Old Dhaka and surrounding areas.

Legal action against the arrestees is underway, he added.