Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
Criminal gangs are frequently sending contrabands to their cohorts across the country through the legitimate courier services.
The issue was discussed in the meetings of the National Smuggling Prevention Committee and the National Taskforce on combating Money-Laundering and Terror Financing held in Dhaka recently.
High government officials who participated in the meetings expressed serious concern over the illegal activity and asked the security agencies to beef up vigilance on parcel delivery services to combat the crime.
“Criminal gangs involved in arms and drugs smuggling from neighboring countries are sending contrabands secretly to their partners across the country using courier services,” a Home Ministry official told The New Nation on Sunday quoting reports of security agencies.
“They could be able to run the illegal activities due to poor regulation and improper vigilance on courier services,” he added preferring anonymity.
The official further said, “We discussed and assessed the dark side of the infiltrate delivery services and called upon the authorities for enforcing a strict regulatory regime for the courier business.”
“We also asked the agencies to enforce in intense vigilance on parcels so that criminals can not continue their drugs and arms business under the cover of
courier services,” he added.
“Parcel service through courier still remains unregulated. Parcels delivered by courier services have no monitoring and scanning. Criminal gangs may be running their drug and arms business taking advantage of the situation. Such act also pushes money-laundering and terror financing threat in the country,” an official of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) told The Nation New Nation yesterday, seeking anonymity.
He said the authorities are currently grappling with the issue of contraband slipping into the country through courier services. “Tens of thousands of parcels are handled every day. But no mechanism is yet to be put in place to identify the ‘distinctive parcels’ sending by the criminals,” he added.
“The crime can not go unchecked… So, we will devise a plan to fight against the crime. We will convene a coordination meeting soon. Representatives of all the concerned agencies will remain present at the meeting. The plan will be formulated as per their recommendations,” he said.
Criminal gangs are frequently sending contrabands to their cohorts across the country through the legitimate courier services.
The issue was discussed in the meetings of the National Smuggling Prevention Committee and the National Taskforce on combating Money-Laundering and Terror Financing held in Dhaka recently.
High government officials who participated in the meetings expressed serious concern over the illegal activity and asked the security agencies to beef up vigilance on parcel delivery services to combat the crime.
“Criminal gangs involved in arms and drugs smuggling from neighboring countries are sending contrabands secretly to their partners across the country using courier services,” a Home Ministry official told The New Nation on Sunday quoting reports of security agencies.
“They could be able to run the illegal activities due to poor regulation and improper vigilance on courier services,” he added preferring anonymity.
The official further said, “We discussed and assessed the dark side of the infiltrate delivery services and called upon the authorities for enforcing a strict regulatory regime for the courier business.”
“We also asked the agencies to enforce in intense vigilance on parcels so that criminals can not continue their drugs and arms business under the cover of
courier services,” he added.
“Parcel service through courier still remains unregulated. Parcels delivered by courier services have no monitoring and scanning. Criminal gangs may be running their drug and arms business taking advantage of the situation. Such act also pushes money-laundering and terror financing threat in the country,” an official of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) told The Nation New Nation yesterday, seeking anonymity.
He said the authorities are currently grappling with the issue of contraband slipping into the country through courier services. “Tens of thousands of parcels are handled every day. But no mechanism is yet to be put in place to identify the ‘distinctive parcels’ sending by the criminals,” he added.
“The crime can not go unchecked… So, we will devise a plan to fight against the crime. We will convene a coordination meeting soon. Representatives of all the concerned agencies will remain present at the meeting. The plan will be formulated as per their recommendations,” he said.
