Police in Naogaon have arrested four members of a fraud ring accused of mixing sleeping drugs inside coconuts to incapacitate victims and steal their belongings. The arrests were announced in a press release on Tuesday afternoon after an 18-hour operation across Bogura and Gaibandha districts. Authorities seized a stolen autorickshaw, a motorcycle, eight mobile phones, cash, and sleeping drugs from the suspects.

According to the police statement, the group lured an autorickshaw driver on July 10 by pretending to visit a hospital and offering him a coconut drink laced with sedatives. After the driver lost consciousness, they fled with his vehicle. Using CCTV footage, criminal databases, artificial intelligence, and digital tools, investigators identified and captured the suspects. The arrested individuals are from Cumilla, Barguna, Bogura, and Gaibandha districts.

Police said two of the suspects have prior criminal cases, including murder, while the other two were involved in reselling stolen goods. Legal action is being taken against all four detainees.