The parcel came all the way from Uganda -- containing a strong stimulant drug known as “crystal meth” or “ice” a week ago -- worth around Tk 35 lakh, to a Nigerian national living in Dhaka.

He wanted to sell it at a cheaper rate to popularise the drug in the country. But his luck ran out as he got caught by Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) on Thursday.

The arrestee, Ajah Anayochukwa Onyeanwusi, 38, was held in Khilkhet, Mosaddeque Hossain Reza, additional director (intelligence) of DNC, told a press briefing at its headquarters in Dhaka’s Tejgaon.

Tipped-off, a DNC team arrested Ajah with 50 grams of ice during a drive in the area. After further interrogation, they searched his residence at Bashundhara and recovered another 472 grams early yesterday, the official added.

Crystal meth or crystal methamphetamine, dubbed as the most potent form of methamphetamine, is a strong and highly addictive drug that affects the central nervous system.

It usually comes in small chunky clear crystals that look like ice. It can also come as white or brownish crystal-like powder with a strong smell and bitter taste, according to Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

The DNC official said Ajah came to Bangladesh as a student two years ago and got admitted to a private university in Shyamoli. After getting his undergraduate degree in pharmacy, he started a garment business.

He was making small profits from the business. However, Ajah was earning a lot of money on the side from selling drugs, Mosaddeque added.

Ajah joined the trade in Bangladesh through “Darknet”. He frequently travelled to Thailand, Malaysia, India, Uganda, Kenya and Singapore -- mostly under the guise of a businessman -- to buy ice from there.

According to the DNC official, Ajah admitted to being a dealer and supplier of crystal meth in seven to eight countries other than Bangladesh.

“This drug is stronger than yaba. One gram of meth is equivalent to 10 yaba pills.

A gram of crystal meth is sold at around 15,000 Malaysian ringgit, or in Dhaka it would be around Tk 7,000,” he said.

“This drug is still very new to the country. To promote it, Ajah was selling it at a price lower than Tk 5,000,” the DNC official added.

A case was filed with Khilkhet Police Station in this connection.

In February, DNC busted a narcotics manufacturing laboratory and seized a consignment of two types of drugs, including crystal methamphetamine, from Jhigatola.