Eight charged in court over Chittagong liquid cocaine haul

Police have pressed charges in court against eight people in a case of liquid cocaine seizure from a sunflower oil container at the Chittagong Port.

Chittagong Bureaubdnews24.com
Published : 19 Nov 2015, 02:37 PM
Updated : 19 Nov 2015, 06:37 PM

Investigation Officer Md Kamruzzaman said on Thursday that the eight had been accused under the Narcotics Control Act.

Mandal Group’s executive Atiqur Rahman Khan, Cosco Bangladesh Shipping Lines Limited manager AK Azad and Mostofa Kamal have been named in the chargesheet.

Others are sunflower importer Khan Jahan Ali Limited’s employee Golam Mostofa Sohel, C&F official Saiful Islam, IT specialist Mehedi Alam and British citizens Fazlur Rahman and Bakul Mia.

The British nationals are said to be on the run, while Saiful Islam is out on bail.

Kamruzzaman said they recommended the dropping of charges against the owner of Khan Jahan Ali Ltd, Nur Mohammad.

Acting on a tip-off, customs detectives seized on June 7 a sunflower oil container that revealed traces of liquid cocaine. 

Port officials said the consignment had come from Uruguay on May 12 and was on its way to India.

It was the first seizure of its kind in Bangladesh, said security agencies.

Police slapped a narcotics case against Khan Jahan owner Nur and its official Sohel on June 8, while the court ordered that they be booked for smuggling as well.

Forty persons have been named as witnesses.

Assistant Commissioner of Chittagong police Nirmalendu Bikash Chakrabarty told bdnews24.com the men had been accused under the narcotics Act, as the chargesheet had to be filed within 90 days.

“We’ll bring the charge of smuggling after further investigation,” he added.