Customs arrests man carrying 2kg of gold at Dhaka airport

The customs has detained a man smuggling over two kilograms of gold at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The detainee, 41-year-old Zinnat Mahmud Shamim, hails from Munshiganj.

Customs officials were ready to make the arrest early on Monday based on a tip-off, said Customs Intelligence and Investigation Division Director General Moinul Khan.

Shamim arrived from Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur around 1am. A search found that he was carrying 21 pieces of ‘gold leaf’.

Customs detectives challenged Shamim as he was quickly trying to make his way through the green channel, Khan said.

“Shamim became obviously agitated when he was confronted and repeatedly denied having any gold on him.”

The gold was found after scanning two pieces of luggage Shamim was carrying. A search revealed connected iron rings inside the bags. The gold was hidden as GI wires inside the rings.

The gold appears to be of high quality, Khan said.

According to his passport, Shamim has travelled abroad 17 times this year. He claimed to be a businessman during his interrogation.

The confiscated gold weighed 2.28kg and has an estimated market value of Tk 11 million.

Shamim has been arrested and turned over to the airport police, Khan said.