gold
14 kgs gold seized at Dhaka airport
Customs preventive team of Dhaka Customs House (DCH) seized 120 gold bars worth Tk 13.50 crore from inside a passenger carrying bus owned by US Bangla Airlines at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on Thursday.
Sources at the HSIA said the DCH had a secret information that a smuggler syndicate would bring a large gold consignment in Dhaka from Dubai by a flight of US Bangla Airlines and then the consignment will be smuggled out through passenger carrying vehicle of the airlines.
When a vehicle reached near Gate-21 carrying passengers from the aircraft, customs officials started questioning driver after passengers got down from the vehicle, said Shafiqur Rahman, an officer of the DCH.
At one stage, Md Harunor Rashid, 40, the driver of the ram bus, admitted that gold consignment had been kept hidden inside the vehicle.
Then the customs preventive team recovered four packets containing the gold bars, kept hidden inside the bus, the Customs official said.
After searching the four packets at the customs hall, they found 120 gold bars weighing around 14.132 kgs, he added.
A case was filed with airport police station.
Man held with gold worth Tk 4.5cr along Lalmonirhat border
Members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) claimed to have detained a person with 45 gold bars along the India border in the district on Tuesday.
Md Azizur Rahman, 58, is from Durgapur village under Aditmari upazila in the district, according to a press release signed by BGB-15 Commandant Lieutenant Colonel Mofazzal Hossain Akanda.
The battalion received a tip that a big consignment of gold was going to be smuggled to India through Kutichar border area under the Aditmari upazila.
As per the information, BGB men took up positions along the border and eventually challenged a person heading towards the border. But instead of cooperating, this man, who would turn out to be Azizur, tried to run away, and BGB gave chase.
Read more: BGB detains woman with gold worth over Tk 8 million in Benapole
The BGB personnel eventually detained Azizur and recovered the gold weighing around 5.249 kilograms from his body. The market value of the gold is estimated to be around Tk 4.5 crore. The gold bars were wrapped with cloth and tape.
Later, the detainee was handed over to the concerned police station where a process was underway to file a case in this connection, the BGB release added.
Later, the detainee was handed over to the concerned police station where a process was underway to file a case in this connection, the BGB release added.
2 detained with 15 gold bars in Khulna
Two males were detained with 15 gold bars from Zero Point of Khulna city on Saturday, police said.
The detainees—Emon and Abul Hossain are from Chattogram and Cumilla.
Enamul Hoque, officer-in-charge of Labanchara police station, said they challenged the duo following their suspicious movement in the Zero Point area in the noon while they got off a bus.
Later, a total of 15 gold bars were recovered from the possession of the detainees, he said.
Read more: 30 gold bars recovered from airport dustbin
During the primary interrogation, the duo admitted that they were heading towards the India border in Satkhira to smuggle, the OC said.
A process is underway to take legal action against the detainees, he added.
UAE returnee detained with 2kg gold at Ctg airport
A United Arab Emirates returnee was detained with two kilograms (KG) of gold at Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport in the port city of Chattogram on Tuesday.
Expatriate Md Ziaul Hoque is from Companyganj upazila in Noakhali.
Bashir Ahmed, director general at Chattogram Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, confirmed the gold recovery and detention saying that a flight of Dubai Airlines FZ-563 landed at the airport in the morning.
Noticing suspicious movement of the expatriate, members of customs intelligence challenged him and searched his bags, he said.
Read more: Man held with 2kg gold from Ctg airport
The gold weighing around 2kg was recovered from his bag, the customs officer said, adding that legal actions were taken against him in this connection.
2 held with 20 gold bars in Chattogram’s Sitakunda
Police arrested two people and seized 20 gold bars from Sitakunda in Chattogram district on Wednesday.
The arrestees were identified as Basu Pal, 35, son of Sunil Pal of Anwara upazila, and Ratan Pal, 60, son of Shashank Pal of Bashkhali upazila.
Tofayel Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station, said suspecting the movement of two people, police challenged them in front of Shyamoli Paribahan bus counter in the morning.
Later, police recovered 20 gold bars, weighing 2332.11 grams, from their shoes.
After interrogation, police came to know that they were waiting for a bus to go to Dhaka to sell the gold bars.
Also read: One held with 63 gold bars in Benapole
The market value of the seized gold bars is Tk 1.70 crore.
A case was filed with Sitakunda Police Station.
Gold worth Tk 1.5 cr seized at Benapole
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh seized 17 gold bars weighing 1.98kg from Pachvulot border of Jashore's Sharsha upazila on Saturday.
Lt Col Tanveer Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB-21 battalion, said tipped off that gold was being smuggled to India, a team of BGB conducted a drive in Bottola area at noon.
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, two smugglers riding on a motorcycle fled the scene leaving behind two bags and the BGB team recovered the gold bars worth Tk 1.5 crore from the bags, said Tanveer Ahmed.
Also Read: Gold worth over Tk 8.5cr seized in Chuadanga, Jhenaidah; one detained
He said they are trying to arrest the two smugglers.
A case has been filed with Sharsha police in this regard, added the commanding officer.
UAE-returnee Rangunia man held with gold worth Tk1.67 crore at Chattogram airport
A team of National Security Intelligence (NSI) claimed to have seized 2.5kg gold worth Tk1.67 crore at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport from a United Arab Emirates-returnee man.
The man was identified as Jasim Uddin from Chattogram's Rangunia, Taslim Ahmed, director of Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram, said. "He came to Dhaka on an Air Arabia flight from the UAE Wednesday morning."
Read more: Gold worth over Tk 8.5cr seized in Chuadanga, Jhenaidah; one detained
"Jasim tried to smuggle the gold by turning them into a coil of a cooking machine," Taslim added. "He was handed over to Patenga Police Station and a case was filed against him."
9 gold bars seized in Benapole
Border Guard Bangladesh members seized nine gold bars weighing 1 kg from an auto rickshaw at Amrakhali area in Benapole on Saturday night.
Tipped off, a team of BGB-49 battalion conducted a drive in the area at 9:30 pm.
BGB members tried to stop the auto rickshaw driver heading towards Kagojipukur but its driver managed to escape, said BGB 49 in a press release on Sunday.
Later the gold bars worth Tk 93.5 lakh were recovered from the auto rickshaw which were concealed in a hole.
Read more: Gold bars worth Tk22 crore seized at Benapole: BGB
BGB-49 said they are trying to arrest the driver and a case will be filed at Benapole port police station in this regard.
The seized gold will be deposited to government treasury, said the press release.
Read more: Gold worth Tk 3.5 cr seized at Benapole
Gold worth Tk5 crore seized from Keraniganj; 12 held
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) claimed to have seized nearly 7.432kg of gold worth Tk5 crore from a passenger bus at South Keraniganj in the capital on Saturday.During a raid on a bus near Babu Bazar Bridge, CIID also detained 12 people, including three Indians, for their involvement in gold smuggling, Shafiqul Islam, revenue officer of the directorate, said.The identities of the detainees could not immediately be confirmed, Shafiqul added. "The details will be disclosed through a press briefing on Sunday.
Read: Bangladesh gets Tk200 crore smuggled gold every day: BAJUS
Bangladesh gets Tk200 crore smuggled gold every day: BAJUS
Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association (BAJUS) in a meeting with Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) on Thursday claimed gold worth Tk200 crore is arriving in Bangladesh through smuggling every day.
The BAJUS also proposed to BFIU forming a joint initiative to combat gold smugglers, who are also involved in money laundering.
With BFIU chief Md Masud Biswas in the chair senior official of the financial intelligence and a 13-member delegation of BAJUS led by its president Sayem Sobhan, attended the meeting.
In response to BAJUS delegation’s information and proposal, Masud assured to protect Bangladesh from the gold smugglers and strengthen the raid against gold smuggling in the country.
Read: 56 gold bars seized at Chattogram airport
The BAJUS leaders informed the meeting that the smuggling occurs by air, road, and waterways.
As a result, Tk73000 crore worth of smuggled gold arrives in Bangladesh annually and most of it is smuggled out of the country.
The BAJUS leaders presented seven recommendations to stop the smuggling of gold.