Largest ever cache of smuggled gold has been seized from an aircraft today at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Acting on tip off, Airport Armed Police and Customs official seized 124 kg gold from a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft BG-702 which came from Kathmandu, Nepal. However, no one could be arrested in this connection.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 1.35pm. Based on secret information, Airport APBn and Customs official raided the luggage hold of the national flag carrier half an hour later and found 15 black fabric bags which contained 1,065 gold bars each weighing about 10 tolas. The market price of the recovered gold is approximately 540 million BDT.
Airport APBn Media Relations offficer Senior ASP Jahed Parvez Chowdhury said, the area from where the gold has been recovered is an exclusive zone of the aircraft and no one other than the Biman crew or Engineers are allowed to that area.
However, the origin of the gold bars is yet to be confirmed. The flight flew to Dubai before it landed in Nepal. Officials assume that, the consignment might have been loaded in Dubai.
Airport APBn official also said that, the consignment was probably loaded with the help of unscrupulous Biman loaders in Dubai and other officials. There was no sender or receiver name on the bags. The gold bars will be deposited to the Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of Bangladesh treasury.
Earlier, 17 Kg gold was recovered on 23 July, 2013 in Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong; 24.3 Kg gold recovered on 25 June, 2013 in HSIA, 1.4 Kg gold recovered in HSIA on 10 June 2013.
