The Department of Narcotics Control recovered 125 grams of heroin valued at about Tk 1.25 million in Netrokona and detained three people, including Lalita Akter, 45, whom it described as the alleged ringleader. The operation took place early Monday at a temporary checkpoint on the Netrokona-Mymensingh regional highway in the Chollisha area of the district headquarters.

A team from the Netrokona district office searched a Dhaka-bound passenger bus and recovered the heroin from Md Sagar Ahmed, 38, a resident of Matihar upazila in Rajshahi, who was posing as a passenger. Based on information provided by him, officers detained Md Masud Mia, 42, from the Goruhatta area of Netrokona Sadar upazila. Lalita was later detained during an operation in Gopalpur Bazar, Barhatta upazila.

The department said Lalita has seven cases under the Narcotics Control Act. Two button mobile phones were also seized during the operation. On Monday evening, Sub-Inspector Md Nazmul Huda filed a case at Netrokona Model Police Station under the Narcotics Control Act. Assistant Director Md Nazmul Haque said operations against drugs would continue and the three detainees would be sent to court the following morning.