In response to a petition filed by the investigation officer, a Chittagong court yesterday ordered the DB official to collect samples from all the 107 drums of a container that reportedly had cocaine and conduct a fresh laboratory test.
The court also ordered the Chittagong Port Authority to properly preserve the seized container until further order.
The CPA, CPA’s Security Wing, Chittagong Customs House and Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation were asked to assist the IO in the case.
The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Farid Alam passed the orders granting a plea of the IO, CMP Detective Branch Assistant Commissioner (north zone) Md Kamruzzaman, submitted on June 30, said CMP’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (prosecution) Kazi Muttaki Ibn Minan. The judge also ordered to make a new seizure list and cross match it with the one prepared earlier by the CIID.
The container was boarded on ship from Uruguay after being imported from Bolivia and arrived at Chittagong Port on May 13 via Singapore Port.
On June 8, two days after the seize at Chittagong port, the Narcotics Control Department failed to trace cocaine inside drums full of imported sunflower oil.
The CIID, however, was sure about the presence of cocaine as they had information from a UK intelligence agency. After testing it at two laboratories, its officials detained two persons for their suspected link. The CIID officials found cocaine on June 27 in one of the 107 drums.
A case was filed by the police on June 28. Two probe bodies have been working on the matter – one formed by the CMP while the other by the CIID.
Khan Jahan Ali Limited imported the sunflower oil.
Meanwhile, a team of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), on request of the CIID, will visit Bangladesh soon to determine the actual weight of the cocaine.
The DB decided to seek help from International Criminal Police Organisation and New Scotland Yard to nab two expatriates who were involved with the smuggling.