Customs officials at the Hazrat Shahjajal International Airport seized around 5.5 kg of gold brought illegally by two Indian citizens this morning. The authority also seized 86 thousand UAE dirhams from their possessions. The detained passengers are Jignesh Kumar and Dinesh Mungilal, both carrying Indian passports.
Jignesh Kumar and Dinesh Mungilal arrived in Dhaka today at around 4.30 am flight Etihad Airlines from Abu Dhabi. The authority held them when they were trying to cross the green channel of the airport.
Customs authority claimed they had intelligence information about this gold smuggling, according to which they detained the two Indian citizens. They found the existence of 6 gold bars inside their baggage and detained them for further search. Upon searching, customs officials found 5.5 kg gold in 6 bars, of which 5 bars weighed 1 kilo each and the other of half a kilo in weight.
Customs officials later handed over the two Indians to the Airport Police and also filed a case under Special Powers Act against the two at the police station.
According to the market price, seized 5.5 kg of gold worth BDT 25 million approximately.
In recent times, Customs authority and Airport Armed Police members foiled attempts of a good number of gold smuggling consignments in the country. On 15th November this year, the authority seized 16 gold bars, each weighing ten tolas of gold, from a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight passenger. On 12th November, Airport Armed Police and Customs authority seized 37 kg of gold from a Qatar Airways flight which was kept hidden under a seat. Also, customs authorities seized 41 gold bars from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at Dhaka and Hazrat Shah Amanat Airport in Chittagong on 2nd November this year.
According to the Commissioner of Customs at Dhaka Customs House, the authority could not collect any revenue from gold import this year since the gold smugglers continued to carry gold illegally with them to avoid any custom duty and taxes.
