Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials have seized gold jewellery, cigarettes, cosmetics and mobile phones from the baggage of several passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The seizures were made by CIID’s C-shift team based on secret information during separate searches of passengers’ baggage, officials said.

The seized items include 99 grams of gold jewellery, 181 cartons of cigarettes, 113 kg of ‘Gouri’ cream and five mobile phones, with an estimated market value of Tk 55,74,500.

Following a tip-off, CIID officials searched the baggage of Mehedi Hasan, a passenger arriving from Dubai on Emirates flight EK0582, and recovered 149 cartons of cigarettes and 40 kg of ‘Gouri’ cream.

The baggage of another passenger on the same flight, Mohammad Abdul Qayyum, was searched and 99 grams of gold jewellery, 10 cartons of cigarettes and 3 kg of ‘Gouri’ cream were recovered.

Meanwhile, officials searched the baggage of Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, a passenger arriving from Delhi on Air India flight AI237, and seized 70 kg of ‘Gouri’ cream and four smartphones.

CIID officials said the total seizures from the passengers and others during the C-shift operation amounted to 99 grams of gold jewellery, 181 cartons of cigarettes, 113 kg of ‘Gouri’ cream and five mobile phones.

The estimated combined market value of the seized goods is Tk 55,74,500, they said.

The latest seizure is part of CIID’s ongoing drives to prevent smuggling through the airport. The directorate said it has been using intelligence, passenger profiling and close surveillance to identify high-risk flights and passengers and prevent smuggling.

The operations will continue, CIID officials said.