Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members detained 15 robbers from Banshkhali upazila in Chattogram and Pekua Kutubdia of Cox's Bazar in connection with the abduction of 17 fishermen.
During the drives conducted on Friday and Saturday, chief of the robber gang Nurul Kabir and its second-in-command Md Mamun were detained.
Confirming the issue, RAB-7 Commander Lieutenant Colonel MA Yusuf on Saturday evening said that the gang known as Kabir Bahini used to physically torture fishermen and extort money from them.
Other detained gang members were Nurul Afsar, Nurul Quader, Hasan, Abdul Hamid, Abu Bakkar, Md Yusuf, Gias Uddin, Safiul Alam Manik, Abdul Khaleq, Rubel Uddin, Saiful Islam Jiku, Md Sultan and Manzur Alam.
Two pistols, six one-shooter guns, four cartridges, five swords, one knife, one machete and two locally made sharp weapons were seized during the drives.
On January 14, the gang kidnapped 17 fishermen and demanded Tk 10 lakh as ransom from the boat owner.
After the owner managed to give them Tk 2 lakh, the robber gang also snatched 2,000 pieces of hilsa from the fishermen.
The gang released the fishermen when they came to know about the RAB drives, MA Yusuf added.
