‘Devil’s Breath’ scare in Cox’s Bazar: Pakistani duo accused of deploying chemical sedatives to loot shops
By Nasreen Tarannum
Businesses in Cox’s Bazar-Bangladesh’s most visited tourist destination-are on edge following a deeply troubling criminal incident that has exposed a new and highly dangerous method of fraud. Local traders and law enforcement officials report that two Pakistani nationals allegedly used a potent chemical sedative, widely known as “Devil’s Breath,” to incapacitate a shopkeeper on Link Road before looting the establishment. The episode has triggered significant alarm within the business community and raised pressing concerns about the growing sophistication of foreign-linked criminal operations in the region.
The incident unfolded when the two foreign nationals entered a shop in the bustling Link Road commercial zone. According to eyewitnesses and the victim, the men spoke in Urdu, behaved with noticeable confidence, and appeared to be Pakistani citizens based on their speech patterns and mannerisms. What initially seemed like a routine interaction with international customers quickly spiraled into one of the most disturbing criminal events the city has seen in recent years.
Posing as customers interested in purchasing goods or exchanging currency, the men engaged the shopkeeper in casual conversation. During this seemingly normal exchange, they discreetly applied a chemical substance to a banknote or a handkerchief they carried. That substance-later identified as scopolamine, commonly referred to as “Devil’s Breath”-is notorious for its ability to render victims disoriented, compliant, and unable to resist commands.
Witness accounts indicate that one of the suspects held the contaminated item close to the shopkeeper’s face, while the other encouraged him to handle it. Within minutes, the shopkeeper began to lose control of his senses. Observers said he appeared dazed, confused, and unusually submissive-textbook symptoms of scopolamine exposure. Seizing the moment, the suspects swiftly emptied the cash drawer and quietly fled the scene.
By the time the victim regained full consciousness, the perpetrators had vanished, leaving him with minimal memory of what had happened or how the money had been taken.
A troubling pattern linked to policy decisions
Authorities and intelligence sources warn that this is not an isolated incident. Since September of last year, when the Yunus administration quietly removed the mandatory security-clearance requirement for Pakistani nationals entering Bangladesh, a dangerous new pipeline has reportedly opened. Under the direct patronage of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, organized criminal groups have begun infiltrating Bangladesh at an increasingly worrying rate.
These networks-operating in collaboration with elements within the stranded Pakistani community-have been linked to the trafficking of narcotics, the distribution of counterfeit Indian and Bangladeshi currency, and the smuggling of scopolamine. Investigators suggest that the use of “Devil’s Breath” in Cox’s Bazar is part of a broader, structured cross-border criminal infrastructure.
Scopolamine: A chemical of global infamy
Experts consulted by law enforcement confirmed that scopolamine is an extremely powerful sedative capable of impairing human judgment within minutes of exposure. Although used medically in controlled environments, the substance has gained infamy worldwide for its use in robberies, abductions, and high-stakes scams.
When inhaled or absorbed through the skin, scopolamine:
Disrupts the brain’s ability to form short-term memories
Severely impairs coherent thinking
Makes victims unusually compliant and vulnerable to manipulation
Leaves no immediate visible symptoms
Often causes complete memory loss for hours
Criminals in several countries-especially in parts of South America-have long used this chemical to force victims to hand over money, reveal confidential information such as PIN numbers, or grant access to their homes. Its appearance in Bangladesh is extremely rare, making the Cox’s Bazar case particularly alarming for local authorities.
Widespread fear among local traders
News of the incident spread quickly along Link Road, unsettling business owners across the commercial zone. Many expressed shock that such sophisticated chemical methods had reached Cox’s Bazar, a city known far more for tourism than for advanced criminal tactics. Several traders admitted they were unaware that such substances even existed, let alone that they could be used so subtly in everyday interactions.
In response, some shop owners have begun taking precautionary steps: avoiding lengthy conversations with unfamiliar foreigners, increasing physical distance during transactions, and upgrading CCTV systems to capture clearer footage of customers from multiple angles.
The victim has filed a formal complaint with the local administration, prompting police to review nearby surveillance footage and coordinate with immigration authorities. Investigators believe the suspects may have targeted multiple shops-or may attempt similar crimes elsewhere-if not apprehended soon.
Authorities issue urgent warnings
Law enforcement agencies have urged all shop owners, street vendors, and workers across Cox’s Bazar to exercise extreme caution when dealing with strangers, particularly foreign nationals. Officials emphasized that individuals should immediately move away if someone attempts to hold banknotes, documents, or unknown objects near their face.
Police also encouraged traders to avoid handling personal belongings offered by unfamiliar individuals and to report even minor suspicious behavior without hesitation.
Local community leaders echoed these warnings, highlighting the rising involvement of foreign nationals in criminal activities within major tourist zones. They called for stronger monitoring of foreign visitors, improved coordination between immigration, police, and local security units, and broader public awareness about chemical-based criminal methods.
A growing network inside Bangladesh
Investigators have uncovered a concerning pattern: members of the “Devil’s Breath” syndicate reportedly enter Bangladesh from Pakistan and take immediate shelter in Dhaka’s Geneva Camp areas in Mohammadpur and Mirpur-densely populated communities of stranded Pakistanis with a population exceeding 400,000. The network extends into Geneva Camps in Rangpur, Saidpur, and other districts.
Even more troubling, women, children, and young adults from these camps are reportedly being exploited by incoming Pakistani criminals. They are being used as couriers and accomplices in narcotics distribution, counterfeit currency operations, and the administration of scopolamine to unsuspecting targets.
Sources further indicate that these networks have begun leveraging stranded Pakistanis to infiltrate India. Groups of four to five camp residents, accompanied by a Pakistani handler, are traveling across borders to carry out operations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and beyond. Bangladesh and India now face an expanding, ISI-linked criminal enterprise that uses vulnerable communities as shields-while spreading a chemical capable of turning victims into powerless targets.
A wake-up call for tourist-dependent cities
The “Devil’s Breath” incident in Cox’s Bazar underscores how rapidly criminal tactics are evolving. Cities that rely on tourism-and therefore naturally interact with large numbers of foreigners-are particularly vulnerable to such threats. As Cox’s Bazar continues to welcome millions of visitors each year, the openness that defines its hospitality has also become an opportunity for criminals seeking anonymity and access.
For now, traders remain highly alert, awaiting updates from authorities and hoping that the perpetrators are caught before more people fall victim to this disturbing and sophisticated method of fraud.
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