Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials have detected a consignment at Chattogram Port containing about 8.25 tonnes of tobacco or tobacco-like products, including some powder-like substances, allegedly imported using the identity of a business it said not aware of.

The items were found during a physical examination of a consignment declared under a House Bill of Lading, with officials finding discrepancies between the declared and actual goods, according to a CIID press release.

According to CIID, the House B/L, No. ISLCCU2627CGP095, declared the goods as “Pan Masala and Zarda (Chewing tobacco product)”, with 473 packages weighing 8,974 kg.

During a physical examination on September 27, officials found 470 packages containing 8,250.4 kg of tobacco or tobacco-like materials.

The items included 7,325.4 kg of dark brown items in 421 packages, 527 kg of brown items in 31 packages, 273 kg of grey items in 13 packages and 125 kg of white items in five packages.

The CIID said some of the recovered materials included powders of different colours that appeared externally to resemble narcotic substances.

However, laboratory and chemical tests are required to determine whether the powders contain any narcotic, prohibited or controlled substances. Their actual composition will be established after testing the collected samples, it said.

Meanwhile, the second House B/L, No. ISLCCU2627CGP096, declared the goods as “Printed Paper Catalogue”, with 1,570 packages having a declared gross weight of 9,859.60 kg.

Physical examination found 1,570 packages of suspected scrap paper weighing 9,263 kg, indicating a significant discrepancy between the declared description and the goods actually found.

The two consignments together contained 2,040 packages weighing 17,513.4 kg, or about 17.51 tonnes.

Of the total, around 8.25 tonnes comprised tobacco or tobacco-like materials and suspicious powder-like substances, while about 9.26 tonnes comprised suspected scrap paper.

CIID said the consignment arrived from Kolkata aboard MV Uddipon Express under Manifest No. 4524/2026 and Voyage No. 011.

The vessel departed Kolkata on September 20 and reached Chattogram Port on September 22.

Both House B/Ls were issued under the same Master B/L No. 301174347.

The identity of the declared importer has also raised questions. Customs documents identified Authoy Enterprise as the importer/consignee, but the proprietor of the business reportedly informed the authorities in writing that neither he nor his firm had any knowledge of the import and had no direct or indirect involvement with the consignment.

He expressed concern that an unscrupulous group may have used the company’s name and import-related information to bring in the goods.

The CIID is examining the discrepancies in the declarations, the use of the business identity and the actual nature of the goods, while further action will depend on the investigation and laboratory test results.