The Border Guard Bangladesh arrested a Myanmar national and seized 80,000 yaba tablets worth around Tk 2.4 crore at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar yesterday morning.

The arrestee is Mohammad Salam, 35, of Mongdu in Myanmar, said Maj Abu Rasel Siddiqui, deputy commanding officer of BGB Battalion-2.

Acting on a tip-off, a BGB team asked to stop a fishing boat approaching Muchni area in the Naf river around 6:30am, he said, adding that three men jumped into the water soon afterwards.

They caught Salam and recovered 30,000 yaba tablets from him. The other two fled.

He was handed over to the police later.

Two cases, one for trespass and the other for trying to smuggle drugs, were filed against him with Teknaf Police Station.      

A couple of hours later, the BGB raided another fishing boat near Jaliardwip area of the same upazila and seized 50,000 more pills from there, said Maj Rasel.

However, those on board managed to escape.

Both the boats were seized.