Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBN) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport arrested a man carrying nearly 500 grams of gold ornaments and substantial foreign currency on Thursday.

The arrested individual, identified as Mofidul Islam, 43, from Labanchara, Khulna, was apprehended around 12:50 pm at the open car parking area of Canopy-2 as he attempted to flee upon noticing police presence. Mofidul had arrived on SV808 flight from Saudi Arabia at 10:50 am as a Mu’allim of an Umrah Hajj group.

A search of his bag at the APBN (13) office recovered 499.1 grams of 21-carat gold, 9,000 US dollars, 8,501 Saudi riyals, 1,800 Egyptian pounds, 150 Romanian leu, and 80,117 Bangladeshi taka (Bangladesh) from the suspect.

The confiscated gold ornaments, 21-carat in purity, have an estimated market value of almost Tk 84 lakh.

During interrogation, Mofidul admitted that the gold was illegally brought into Bangladesh through unnamed passengers, evading customs duties. He has reportedly long been involved as a receiver in a gold smuggling syndicate operating at the airport.

A case has been filed against him under Section 25B(1)(b) of the Special Powers Act, 1974 at Airport Police Station for conspiring with unnamed passengers to smuggle gold and evade revenue.

Airport APBN Superintendent Mohammad Rezaul Kabir said, APBN continues to play an active role in preventing smuggling and other crimes at the airport. We remain committed to curbing gold and drug smuggling and will continue our vigilance against illegal activities using the airport.