Bagerhat, Jan. 8 -- The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested Masum Mridha, the alleged ringleader of a tourist abduction gang in the Sundarbans. It also recovered firearms, sharp weapons and ammunition during the operation.

Masum, 23, was detained Wednesday in Dhanakhali, Terokhada upazila, Khulna, following intelligence and drone surveillance operations.

Information from Masum led authorities to several firearms, edged weapons and bullets.

Earlier, the Coast Guard rescued two kidnapped tourists and a resort owner and arrested eight members of the gang.

Recovered weapons included three homemade one-shooter pipe guns, eight live cartridges, four blank cartridges, a Chinese axe, two local axes, a cleaver, a steel pipe, and several drug-u...