Customs authorities on Tuesday claimed to have  seized 42 tonnes of poppy seeds worth Tk 15 crore at Chattogram port. Officials said that the poppy seeds were imported from Malaysia by a trader based in Old Dhaka -- Ajmin Trade Center -- in the garb of mustard seeds. The seizure was made on a tip-off. Read:'Drug peddler' killed in Gazipur gunfight On April 18, Ajmin Trade Center's clearing agent Hotline Cargo International submitted a bill of entry to the Chattogram Customs  department to unload the consignment of two containers and paid Tk 1,42,497 as duty for mustard seed imports. On a tip-off, the Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) team of Customs House Chattogram suspended the release process and conducted a physical examination of the consignment. Upon the physical examination, 12 tonnes of mustard seeds and 42 tonnes of poppy seeds were found in place of the 54 tonnes of mustard seeds declared by the importer. Mustard seeds were found in sacks kept near the door of the container, while sacks containing poppy seeds were kept in the rear side. Read:LSD seizure: 5 more placed on 5-day remand Rezaul Karim, Assistant Commissioner, AIR Branch, Chattogram Custom House, said samples of the seized poppy seeds were subsequently sent to the Narcotics Control Department in Dhaka for chemical testing. The government agency has certified that those are indeed poppy seeds, the official added. According to international market price, the value of the seized 42 tonnes of poppy seeds is around Tk 15 crore.  However, the importer has paid Tk 22 lakh through the letter of credit for the import of mustard seeds, and thus may have violated the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Read: LSD seized during probe into DU student's death The Bangladesh government has banned the import of poppy seeds as they are used to make various drugs, including opium. Chattogram Customs House is preparing to file a case accusing the importer. The Anti-Money Laundering Unit of the department is also looking into possible violations of the the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.  

A consignment of imported onion from Myanmar has been unloaded at the Chattogram Port on Monday. After the shipment of 58 metric tonnes of onion reached the port on Monday, the authorities concerned of Plant Quarantine Centre of Chattogram Seaport issued the release order, said Dr Mohammad Asaduzzaman, deputy director of the centre. This is the first shipment of onion from Myanmar. A representative of C&F Agent said the ‘Agrabad Kayel Store’ imported the onion and already two containers had been unloaded. Besides, four more onion-laden containers have reached the port from Pakistan and the authorities concerned have examined it for clearance. According to Chattogram Customs House, the authorities concerned have taken all-out preparation to unload the shipment of onion as soon as possible. Mohammad Idris, general secretary of Traders Association, said the first consignment of onion from Myanmar has arrived at the port. The colour, size and taste of Myanmar onion is similar to that of our local variety and per kg is being sold at Tk 70, he said. The government has withdrawn 5 percent duty on onion import in an effort to cool down the overheated local market following India’s export ban. The decision has been taken as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives, said a Finance Ministry handout on Sep 20. It will remain effective until March 31 next year. India’s onion export ban pushed up the prices in the local markets to about Tk 100 from Tk 30 per kg. According to the Commerce Ministry, the annual demand for onion in Bangladesh ranges between 2.2 and 2.5 million tonnes. Although the country’s own annual production has risen, so has the amount imported over the last decade. Commerce Ministry figures show the amount imported was hardly 0.4 million tons in FY09, but had touched up to 1.1 million tons in recent years.