Authorities claim gold smugglers are now adopting new methods

Gold smugglers have changed their tactics amidst a crackdown at airports, say Bangladesh authorities.

There were several cases of gold seizures from passengers with the metal being mostly strapped to the body, concealed in luggage, and even in vacuum cleaners, water pumps and coffee machines!

There were also instances of gold being confiscated from ground staff at airport hangars.

But after the recent arrest of Biman employees including some senior officials, the airport customs say that smugglers have now adopted a different means – the use of the cargo service.

On Wednesday, three boxes filled with 43 gold bars, each weighing one kilogram, were found in the cargo area of Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

According to Customs Intelligence Assistant Commissioner Umme Nahida Akter, the boxes, marked as garment accessories, came by a Singapore Airlines flight to Dhaka. The address on it was of a garment factory at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Chittagong.

A detective branch (DB) officer said on condition of anonymity that the address was false.

DB's Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Nazmul Alam said: "It seems smugglers have changed strategy. Most of those who used to bring out gold through the airport terminals and hangars have been arrested. No smuggling is now happening through these channels."

"They are now trying to use the cargo service by putting fake addresses," he told bdnews24.com.

The largest gold haul at Dhaka airport was on Jul 24 last year, when 1,065 gold bars weighing 124 kg was held. Its estimated market value was around Tk 540 million.

Over 100 kg of gold was found on Apr 26 this year on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, which came from Dubai.

After more than a year of the seizure of 124 kg of gold, Customs Intelligence filed a case on Dec 6 against 14 people including 10 Biman employees.

Meanwhile, the detective police arrested five including a deputy general manager of Biman last month in connection with gold smuggling through Dhaka airport.

Police had then said that one Shafiul Azam controls the smuggling racket from Dubai and a gang consisting of Biman officials, cabin crews and Biman suppliers coordinated it in Dhaka.

Since then, over 50 Biman officials are under the watch of intelligence agencies.

DB's Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Nazmul Alam claimed that they had almost completed identifying the gangs involved in smuggling through the airport, and more arrests are likely soon.

Meanwhile, the government has approved a Tk 3 billion project on Wednesday to boost security of four airports including the one in the capital Dhaka.