The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) seized gold bars weighing 471 grams, 35 smartphones and other goods worth around Tk 1.13 crore in three separate drives at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday.
The seizures were made during the operations conducted by the CIID’s A-shift team, following increased vigilance against smuggling and customs duty evasion through passenger baggage, according to a press release issued on Friday.
In one operation, 171 grams of gold bars, along with cosmetics, food items and medicines, were recovered from the baggage of passenger Md Abul Hossain, who arrived in Dhaka from Bangkok on a US-Bangla Airlines flight.
The seized goods were estimated to be worth Tk 35.70 lakh.
In another drive, customs officials recovered 300 grams of gold bars, 35 smartphones of Samsung, Honor and Realme brands, 36 kg of soap and 6.375 kg of cosmetics from the baggage of passenger Shah Alam Aziz.
He arrived from Bangkok on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
After allowing 100 grams of gold under passenger baggage facilities, subject to payment of applicable duties and taxes and the required passport endorsement, officials seized the remaining excess gold and other goods.
The seized items were valued at around Tk 55.30 lakh.
In a separate search of the baggage of another passenger, Umma Hani, arriving on the same Biman flight, officials found 200 grams of gold bars and 40.48 kg of soap.
After allowing 100 grams of gold under baggage facilities, the customs officials seized the remaining gold and excess goods, valued at approximately Tk 21.77 lakh.
The CIID said the increasing number of attempts to bring gold and smartphones in small consignments pointed to an emerging smuggling risk at the airport.
Although individual consignments may appear relatively small, their cumulative impact could result in substantial revenue losses, it said.
The directorate is also examining whether such incidents are linked to organised smuggling networks.
The CIID said it had strengthened intelligence surveillance and intensified operations to counter changing smuggling methods and protect government revenue.
The CIID said it had strengthened intelligence surveillance and intensified operations to counter changing smuggling methods and protect government revenue.