A TikTok video featuring stolen gold jewelry led police to arrest four members of a gold smuggling ring in Debidwar, Cumilla. The detainees include Shahin Akter Shaheen’s husband, Md. Sohel Mia (29), the alleged mastermind Abul Kashem, and the couple Abu Taher (30) and Sharmin Akter (25).
Sub-Inspector Mazharul Islam of Debidwar Police Station stated that the stolen gold ornaments were identified from TikTok videos posted by Shahin Akter Shaheen. “Following the lead, we tracked her husband Md. Sohel Mia using his mobile phone and arrested him on Tuesday night from the Kamrangirchar area in Dhaka,” he said.
Sohel Mia, a resident of Chandranail village in Muradnagar, Cumilla, and son of the late Abdur Rob, used to live in rented apartments across various locations to scout jewelry stores. With help from his syndicate, he orchestrated thefts from targeted shops.
Police said his wife, Shahin Akter Shaheen, would unknowingly wear the stolen ornaments in TikTok videos, which eventually helped law enforcement identify the stolen goods.
The case began on May 16 when Md. Zakir Hossain, owner of Khadija Shilpalaoy located in the east alley of Barek Plaza, College Road, Debidwar New Market, discovered that his shop had been broken into following Jumma prayers. Nearly 40 vori (approximately 466 grams) of gold jewelry had been stolen.
That same evening, while attempting to sell the stolen items at a gold shop in the Cumilla EPZ area, Abu Taher and his wife Sharmin Akter were caught by police. The couple were tenants in Beauty’s house in Noagaon, under the Panchthubi Union of Cumilla Sadar Dakshin. Sharmin is originally from the Burichong upazila.
During interrogation, their confession led police to arrest syndicate leader Abul Kashem from Muradnagar. Under Section 164 confessional statements in court, the name of another key member, Md. Sohel Mia, was revealed.
Debidwar Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shamsuddin Mohammad Elias confirmed the arrest of all four individuals. “Md. Sohel Mia is currently under interrogation, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the gold smuggling syndicate,” he added.
