Chattogram Custom House has intercepted a massive consignment of poppy seeds worth around Tk 6.5 crore, smuggled from Pakistan under the guise of ‘bird feed’.

A media release on Thursday said the consignment was imported by Messrs Adib Trading, based in Korbaniganj, Kotwali, Chattogram, through its appointed C&F agent, M.H. Trading C&F Agent Ltd, located in Shantibagh, Halishahar.

The importer submitted a Bill of Entry declaring 32,010 kg of bird feed at the Chattogram Custom House.

Acting on confidential intelligence, the Customs intelligence wing detained the shipment.

A physical examination of the containers was conducted on October 22 in the presence of the C&F agent and the off-dock authorities.

The inspection revealed that while 7,200 kg matched the declared bird food, the remaining 24,960 kg was identified as poppy seeds.

Officials noted that sacks of bird food were placed strategically near the container doors to conceal the poppy seeds stacked behind, indicating a deliberate attempt to smuggle the banned item into the country.

Samples collected during the examination were sent to the Plant Quarantine Wing of Chattogram Sea Port, the Nanotechnology Centre of the University of Dhaka, and Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) for laboratory testing.

Reports from the Plant Quarantine Wing and KUET said the concealed product was indeed poppy seed.

Poppy seeds capable of germination fall under the ‘A’ category of narcotics as per the Narcotics Control Act 2018. The Import Policy Order 2021–2024 also lists poppy seed under item number 15 of its prohibited imports list.

The shipment has been officially seized under the Customs Act 2023 for false declaration and illegal importation. Legal proceedings are underway, Customs officials said.

The declared value of the consignment was Tk 30,02,482. The actual market value of the seized poppy seeds is estimated to be around Tk 6.5 crore.