Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials have seized gold and an iPhone set worth an estimated Tk1.39 crore in separate drives at Dhaka and Chattogram international airports.
At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, customs intelligence officials seized 299 grams of gold jewellery and an iPhone 18 Pro Max worth Tk 61.29 lakh from a passenger arriving from Kuala Lumpur on a US-Bangla Airlines flight, the CIID said in a press release on Tuesday.
In a separate drive at Shah Amanat International Airport, officials seized 434 grams of gold, including gold bars and jewellery, from two passengers arriving from Dubai on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight,.
During the operation, a passenger, Tanbir Hasan Rifat, was questioned while crossing the green channel without making a customs declaration. He initially denied carrying gold.
A subsequent search in the presence of representatives from other agencies found 100 grams of gold jewellery concealed inside his shoes and a gold bar weighing 117 grammes on his body.
Officials also recovered a 117-gramme gold bar and 100 grammes of gold jewellery from the baggage and body of another passenger on the same flight.
The directorate said it would continue intelligence-led surveillance and operations at international airports to prevent gold smuggling, protect government revenue and identify those involved in illegal trade.