A Cox’s Bazar court has sentenced 101 self-confessed drug peddlers to one and a half years of rigorous imprisonment.

It also fined them Tk 20,000 each.

Judge Mohammad Ismail of district and sessions judge court pronounced the judgment Wednesday noon.

However, the accused were acquitted from another arms case as allegations against them were not proved.

Among the convicts, only 17 were present at the courtroom while 84 others tried in absentia, said Md Faridul Alam, Public Prosecutor (PP) of the court.

Read: Drug peddler snatched from police custody in Ctg; woman shot dead

“In its observation, the court said that the verdict will play an important role in preventing others from joining the illegal trade in the future,” said Faridul.

According to the PP, the court in its observation said that a total of 37 yaba dealers died during shootouts with law enforcers in 2019.

On February 16, 2019, 3,50,000 yaba pills  and 30 firearms were recovered, which the surrendered drug dealers identified as theirs.

A total of 34 witnesses gave testimonies in the arms case, the court said.

Some influential people who have been convicted in the drugs case include four brothers of former Member of Parliament (MP) Abdur Rahman Badi -Abdul Amin, Abdur Shukkur, Shafiqul Islam and Foysal Rahman, current chairman of Teknaf Sadar Union Ziaur Rahman Jihad, his elder brother Abdur Rahman and Didar Mia, son of former Teknaf upazila Chairman Jafar Ahmed.  

Read: 5 members of drugs gang sentenced for 2014 attack on Rab

According to court sources, a total of 102 drug dealers surrendered before law enforcement agencies at Teknaf Pilot High School field on February 16, 2019.

Later, two separate cases were filed in this regard by ABMS Doha, then Officer In-charge (OC) of Teknaf Model Police Station.