The Coast Guard has detained twelve individuals along with a lighter vessel carrying smuggled coal worth over Tk 1 crore under Kotwali Police Station in Barishal.
Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq shared the information on Friday morning but did not disclose the identities of the detainees.
Acting on a tip-off, the Barishal station team conducted a raid at 5:00 am on Friday near Charmonai Anand Ghat under Kotwali Police Station. During the operation, a suspicious lighter vessel was searched, and 1,100 metric tons of smuggled coal, valued at around Tk 1.1 crore, were seized, Lt. Cmdr. Siam-ul-Haq said.
Initial interrogation revealed that the coal had been illegally smuggled from a foreign ship stationed at Mongla Hiran Point under false pretenses.