Chittagong Bureau :
Gold smuggling has become a regular phenomenon through Chittagong International Airport recently.
Within the gap of 24 hours, another two gold haul was detected in CIA on Monday and Tuesday .Customs Intelligence after searching the body of one Dubai returned Bangladeshi, recovered 3 gold bars measuring 291 grams worth about Tk. 12 lakh on Monday morning
The Bangladeshi expatriate Abul Kalam came from Dubai in a flight of Fly Dubai Air. After the second occurrence of gold haul on Monday, another two passengers of Abu Dubai returned Bangladeshi expatriates detained by the airport customs and recovered 10 gold bars measuring 1000grams worth about Tk.40 lakh from them. Customs officials found the bars, weighing up to 1.5 kg, while frisking them after they arrived at the airport by BG-128 Biman flight from Abu Dhabi at 10am yesterday.
Abu Dhabi immigrants Rashed Mohammad from Raujan had six gold bars and Nurul Absar of Fatikchari in Chittagong was concealing four, Customs Assistant Commissioner Moshiur Rahman told . Mentionable that 1.725 Kgs gold was recovered on sunday night last. Earlier report adds: Chittagong Airport customs seized 15 pieces o gold bar from five passengers came from middle east countries. The estimated value of these gold bars is about Tk.75 lakh.
These passengers arrived Chittagong airport by Air Arabia flight from Sharjah, UAE and Oman Air from Muscat on Sunday night. Customs sources said customs intelligence officials seized five gold bars from Md. Tawhidur Rahman who came from Sharjah by Air Arabia flight . Besides 4 gold bars seized from Md.Shahjahan , 2 each from Jahedul Alam, Abdul Baset, and Aisur Rana . These four passengers came from Muscat by Oman Air.
After charging the bodies of the passengers , these gold bars were recovered. Customs sources said the weight of these 15 gold bars is 1.725 gms and the present market value is not less than Tk.75 lakh.Customs official Moshiur Rahman told the NewNation that as per rules of the customs, passengers were released after seizing the gold bars and respective passports and legal actions will be taken against them. Seized gold bars will be deposited to Bangladesh Bank later on after complying the proceedures, sources added.
It is also mentioned that a number of gold hauls were detected in ChittagongAirport in last month and the smugglers chosen the CIA as safe route of gold smuggling, conscious circles observed.
