Dhaka Raids Reveal Hidden Ketamine Lab Run by Chinese Residents

Police raids in Dhaka this week uncovered a clandestine ketamine processing laboratory operated by three Chinese nationals. The men – Li Bin, Yang Chun‑hing and Yo Zhi – were arrested after a thorough investigation traced their activities to apartments in Uttara, Basundhara and Nikunja.

The operation began with the March confiscation of 50 g of ketamine hidden inside a Bluetooth speaker at a courier hub. Subsequent searches of the suspects’ flat uncovered a fully equipped makeshift lab capable of handling 6.3 kg of the potent anesthetic, along with chemicals, packaging materials, digital scales, smartphones and significant amounts of foreign currency.

During early interrogations, the detainees admitted to extracting liquid ketamine, setting up the lab, and converting the substance into powder for export. They reportedly utilized courier services to ship the drug overseas, ordered supplies through dark‑web marketplaces and paid for transactions using the TRON cryptocurrency network.

Law enforcement officials warned that the case highlights a growing trend of transnational crime groups exploiting short‑term visas to establish footholds in Bangladesh, turning the country into a hub for drug trafficking, cyber fraud and human trafficking.