2 suspects held with 1.5kg of gold at Dhaka airport

The market value of the gold seized is estimated at nearly Tk 20 million

The Armed Police Battalion (APBn) has detained two suspects carrying nearly 1.5kg of gold, with an approximate market value of Tk 20 million, at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The APBn identified the two suspects as Shariful Alam and Md Jobair in a press release on Saturday night.

Airport APBn Assistant Superintendent of Police Rakib Hasan Bhuiyan said, “The Airport APBn force detained the two suspects when they tried to start their car and flee after noticing the presence of police in the area midway between arrival canopies No. 1 and No. 2 at Shahjalal International Airport around 9:25am on Saturday morning.”

Rakib said, “After that, a search was conducted on the car, and based on information from the detainees, 1,577gm of gold jewellery was recovered from 13 coffee-coloured bags from the car’s tool box between the two front seats.”

The approximate market value of the 22-carat gold jewellery is approximately Tk 19.2 million, he said.

Rakib said, “Based on questioning, the APBn has learnt that the gold jewellery was brought into Bangladesh by unknown passengers from different countries by illegally bypassing customs duties. The two detainees say they have been involved in a gold smuggling ring at the airport for a long time and had been working as receivers.”

A regular case was filed against the two at the Airport Police Station.

Mohammad Mozammel Haque, superintendent of police and operational commander of the Airport (13) APBn, said: “As part of its regular activities, the Airport APBn works to prevent smuggling and suppress other crimes in the airport area. Recently, gold smuggling activities have increased. We are observing the highest vigilance to prevent any smuggling through the airport.”