Customs officials detained an airline staffer with 500 grams of gold and ornaments at Shahjalal International Airport yesterday.
Aslam Omar Belim, 45, a cabin crew of Kuwait Airlines was held with four gold biscuits and some ornaments worth Tk25 lakh.
Deputy Director of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) Mustafizur Rahman said Aslam landed from Kuwait by a flight of KU-283 around 6am.
“Acting on a tip-off, the customs intelligence officials searched his body and recovered four gold bars weighing 448grams and some ornaments weighing 82grams from his possession,” he said adding that legal actions were being taken against Aslam Omar Belim.
On January 17, CIID arrested a Biman employee and two others while attempting to smuggle gold.
Moinul Khan, DG of CIID said they arrested 115 people, including 8 to 10 Biman officials, in last three months and brought allegations against some 35 Biman officials for being allegedly involved in smuggling.
A probe body led by Mustafizur Rahman found involvement of five Biman staffers in the smuggling of 60kg gold on February 2.
According to November 19, 2014 CIID data, more than 4,000 people were arrested for gold smuggling at the Dhaka airport in the last 36 months. Apart from passengers, they include 89 airline employees, 396 CAAB officials, 34 customs officials and 240 Ansar personnel.