Dhaka: Law enforcers in a drive detained two suspected human smugglers from Ashkona in the capital city’s Uttara area in the early hours of Monday.

The detainees are Golam Rabbani and Mohammad Shahadat Hossain Masud.

Dhaka metropolitan Detective Branch deputy commissioner Nazmul Alam said they also rescued 18 people from a hotel during the drive at about 2:45am.

DB also seized documents and passports from the detainees.

Nazmul Alam said the rescued people were supposed to be smuggled in Malaysia, Australlia, Papua New Guinea and other countries through water route.

The smugglers took a total of Tk7 lakh from each of them, said the DC.