Customs seizes 5.5kg of gold at Chittagong airport

The customs has seized 48 gold bars from a flight from Jeddah that landed at Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport.

Chittagong Bureaubdnews24.com
Published : 10 March 2018, 11:06 AM
Updated : 10 March 2018, 11:06 AM

The gold was found on a passenger and on the seat of Biman Flight BG-136 on Sunday, said Ariful Islam, deputy director of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate. Six have been detained on suspicion of involvement with the crime.

The total weight of the bars was 5.598kg, customs officials said, adding that the black market value was Tk 25 million.

“Bangladesh Biman informed us that gold was on the flight, said Wing Commander Sarwar-e-Jahan, manager of the airport.

“Security officials and CIID officials immediately entered the flight and all passengers were made to disembark.”

According to Sarwar-e-Jahan, a passenger who travelled from Jeddah to Chittagong had 10 gold bars on them.

“The remaining bars were found on a seat on the flight and under the seat covers.”

It is believed the passenger who was to disembark in Chittagong is the chief smuggler, while those who boarded the flight in Chittagong were to ensure that the bars reached Dhaka.

“One of them was to hand over the bars to the others. The other four are under suspicion. The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate will scrutinise them.”

The names of the detainees have not been released.

Though the flight was to leave for Dhaka at 12:50pm, it was delayed until 3:15pm due to the search.