Police in separate drives on Saturday night detained five people in Gopalganj on charge of blackmailing traders and extorting money from them.
The arrestees are Kamrul Islam Molla, 50, Sohag Molla, 28, ofNilphavillage in Tungipara upazila, Roice Sikder, 34, of Manokdaha village of Sadar upazila, Md Saiful Islam Sikder, 50 of Nabinbagh, and Sayera Aziz Tithi, 18, daughter of Abdu Aziz of Gopinathpur village in Sadar upazila.
Mohammad Sanowar Hossain, additional superintendent of Gopalganj police (Sadar Circle) said the blackmailing gang used to lure traders of buying goods from them and invited them to Kamrul Islam's house, reports UNB.
When a victim comes to their place, the gang forced him to take off his clothes and pose for pictures with a female member of the gang, he said.
Later, the gang demanded huge money from them and threatened to circulate the pictures and videos on the internet.
The gang took away a huge amount from at least 16 businessmen, he said.
Police arrested the gang members by tracking their mobile phones after having written complaint from cement traders Ripon Fakir of Sadar upazila and Gazi Anis of Chandra Dighakia.
The gang allegedly took Tk 2,40,000 from the two traders, the official added.
A case was filed against them with Sadar Police Station.