BMW sports car, half-cut Isuzu trucks brought in as ‘used parts’ at Chittagong Port

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has once again uncovered the import of vehicles, including a BMW sports car, under the guise of “used car parts” at Chittagong Port.

A physical examination of a suspect consignment on Tuesday turned up a major mismatch with the declaration, the directorate said on Wednesday.

Although the manifest listed different used automobile spare parts, inspectors found a completely knocked-down (CKD) BMW sports car, the front half of a BMW 740i sedan, and five half-cut Isuzu trucks inside the container.

The importer, Ayaz Auto International, is based in Chattogram’s Halishahar, according to the CIID. The consignment’s clearing and forwarding agent is Amin (C&F Agent) Private Limited.

The exporter is Arab Japan Used Cars and Spare Parts Co LLC of the United Arab Emirates.

“The car is provisionally an S Drive 23i model with an engine capacity of about 2,500cc, and is believed to be a 2009 model,” the directorate said.

Its exact model year, chassis and import legitimacy will be confirmed through documents and technical checks, it added.

The BMW 740i front half is provisionally a 2016 model with about 3,000cc engine capacity.

“What is particularly suspicious is that only the front part of the car has been found in this shipment,” the CIID said. “We are also investigating whether the remaining part has come, or is being brought, in another consignment.”

Given the sharp gap between the declared goods and what was found, customs intelligence is examining false declaration, the possibility of duty and tax evasion, and whether a ruse is being used of bringing cut or dismantled vehicles in different consignments to be reassembled later.

The directorate said it will take legal action as needed.